Have you been charged with a federal crime in Phoenix, AZ? With more than 33 years of experience defending clients against serious federal charges, you can count on Orent Law Offices for the vigorous defense you deserve. Call (480) 656-7301 to schedule a free case review with a Phoenix federal crimes attorney.
A federal offense charged by the FBI, DEA, or ATF typically comes with even harsher penalties than similar offenses at the state level. There is no time to delay in building your defense with the help of an experienced federal criminal defense lawyer in Phoenix.
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Federal criminal cases are serious and require a different approach than a state criminal defense. You deserve an experienced Phoenix criminal defense lawyer who will give you a tenacious defense. That gives you the best chances of a satisfactory conclusion to your case.
Orent Law Offices represents Phoenix, Arizona clients who have been charged with federal offenses. Founding attorney Craig Orent is a Certified Criminal Law Specialist and Top 100 Trial Lawyer. He has over 33 years of legal experience in state and federal cases. His experience includes time with the Federal Public Defender’s Office representing clients in federal cases.
Hire Orent Law Offices to defend you and we will put our experience to work to:
At Orent Law Offices, we have earned a reputation for our success at the negotiation table and inside the courtroom. Contact a Phoenix criminal defense lawyer at our law office today to schedule a free case review to discuss your defense options.
Many criminal offenses can fall under both federal and state law, but some offenses are only state or federal crimes. If you are suspected of committing a criminal offense in Phoenix, you will usually be arrested by the Phoenix Police Department. If you are suspected of violating the United States Code, prosecution may instead fall to a federal law enforcement agency.
There are several federal law enforcement agencies that investigate and prosecute crimes.
The following are most commonly involved in federal offenses in Arizona:
In some cases, a crime may be a state crime that becomes a federal offense in certain circumstances. A common example is bank robbery. Robbery is a crime under the Arizona Revised Statutes, but crimes involving banks become a federal offense.
Federal crimes are not only investigated by federal law enforcement; they are prosecuted by federal prosecutors in district courts.
Federal cases different from state cases in several important ways:
A Phoenix defense lawyer must be authorized to represent you in a particular district court. This means not all Arizona criminal defense lawyers can defend you against a federal criminal offense. Orent Law Offices has decades of experience defending clients in federal district courts.
While any criminal offense that violates federal law can be prosecuted as a federal offense, most are not. The federal government generally steps in and prosecutes specific types of offenses. The following are the most common types of federal cases we handle at Orent Law Offices.
Most sex crimes such as rape are prosecuted in state courts. Some sex offenses are investigated and prosecuted by federal law enforcement. Specifically, the FBI and HIS within the DHS investigate human trafficking, child sex tourism, and child pornography, and internet sex crimes.
Drug crimes are among the most serious federal offenses. Federal law enforcement may work with state law enforcement to investigate and prosecute a range of drug offenses.
As a general rule, the DEA usually pursues federal criminal charges in drug offenses that involve:
Federal drug charges carry notoriously harsh penalties with mandatory minimum sentences.
The ATF typically handles the investigation and prosecution of federal weapons offenses. These offenses may include possession by a prohibited person, possession of a gun in the commission of a federal offense, firearms trafficking, or offenses involving interstate gun transfers.
White collar crime is sometimes considered “victimless” crime, but this is not true. Despite the non-violent nature of these offenses, the FBI estimates that white collar crime costs the U.S. over $300 billion per year. This means these offenses are often prosecuted aggressively to make an example out of defendants.
Common federal white collar offenses include mail and wire fraud, racketeering, embezzlement, and insurance fraud.
A federal criminal case typically carries higher penalties and fines than similar state criminal cases. Federal sentencing uses the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s Voluntary Sentencing Guidelines which uses a point system. There are typically mandatory minimum sentences and longer maximum terms.
You can expect higher stakes in a federal criminal case because:
Similar to Arizona criminal law, the federal criminal code has two classifications of offenses: misdemeanors and felonies.
There are three categories of federal misdemeanors punishable by up to 12 months in prison. By comparison, the highest class of misdemeanor in Arizona is only punishable by up to 6 months in jail.
If you are charged with a federal felony, you face anywhere from 1 to 5 years with a Class E federal felony to up to life in prison with a Class A federal felony. By comparison, the lowest felony class in Arizona is punishable by up to 18 months in prison with a presumptive sentence of one year. This presumptive sentence is the minimum you would face for a comparable federal felony.
The stakes are high when you’re facing criminal charges in federal court. So, it will be important to exhaust every possible avenue for your legal defense. At Orent Law Offices, we will carefully analyze your federal criminal case from all possible angles – searching for every potential defense that can be raised on your behalf.
This might include:
Our criminal defense attorneys in Phoenix, Arizona are ready to fight for you. We will argue any defense that might benefit you and help you secure the best outcome in your criminal case.
When you are facing a federal criminal offense, there is a lot on the line. You are facing not only a lengthy prison term and extremely high fines but imprisonment in a federal prison far from home. You deserve the best possible legal counsel when you are facing the full force of the federal government.
Orent Law Offices has more than 33 years of experience representing clients in federal and state courts. Contact our law firm today for a free consultation with a Phoenix federal crimes attorney who will fight for you.