Federal Crime Practice Areas

We serve clients in the state of California and throughout the United States. When the federal government and its agents come knocking, and everything is on the line, there is no question that you must find the best federal criminal defense attorneys.

Our track record in Los Angeles federal courts is unmatched. Over many years of successful criminal defense practice in Los Angeles, we have successfully handled countless federal criminal cases. Attorney Ronald Hedding, a seasoned professional, has decided to stand firm in defense of those clients who must guard their reputations, rights, and freedom at all costs. Read our message, review our credentials, and then come in for a face-to-face consultation in absolute privacy and decide who is the best.

Our Los Angeles-based federal criminal defense firm has the experience and expertise to defend your case with a skill set unrivaled in any state in the United States. Whether your federal case requires a savvy negotiator or a skilled trial attorney, we have the knowledge to represent you or your loved one effectively.

Suppose you have a federal criminal case in Los Angeles or anywhere in the nation. In that case, you should sit down with us face-to-face. We will take the time to understand your unique situation and educate you on how the federal criminal defense system works. We will then design a personalized plan to put you back on the road to a normal life. Several criminal offenses can be charged in federal court, but we will guide you through each step with care and understanding.

When a federal prosecutor takes on a case, the situation becomes more serious, and the consequences of a conviction become harsher. The federal criminal lawyers at the Hedding Law Firm represent clients in federal cases nationwide.

How The Federal Criminal Defense System Operates

Federal law enforcement agents investigate individuals they believe are involved in criminal activity that violates federal laws. The FBI, DEA, ICE, Secret Service, and Homeland Security are part of the investigative arm of the federal government, responsible for investigating federal crimes. They gather evidence for federal prosecutors in federal cases.

Federal prosecutors, commonly referred to as Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs), are responsible for enforcing federal laws and prosecuting individuals who violate them. They typically meet with federal agents and review the evidence gathered in a federal investigation.

Suppose they believe there is enough evidence to prosecute someone for a federal crime. In that case, they will usually file a federal indictment with the United States District Court that has jurisdiction over a particular federal case. The prosecutors and federal agents will then work together to prosecute a federal case in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the country.

Federal judges are primarily responsible for sentencing individuals who have committed federal offenses. Before sentencing someone in a federal case, a federal judge must consult the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The probation department, the assistant United States attorney, and the federal criminal defense lawyer will all file sentencing position papers outlining their recommendations for what they believe an individual charged with a federal crime should receive. Ultimately, the sentencing judge will make the final decision, and we will point out any and all downward departures.

Pre-Indictment Intervention in a Federal Criminal Case

If you feel that you are under investigation by the feds, you definitely want to get an attorney involved with your case immediately. It's never a good idea to try to handle it on your own. Now's not the time to pinch pennies and not hire an attorney immediately.

Essentially, the pre-indictment intervention involves the federal government filing charges against you, which is their formal document stating that they intend to prosecute you criminally. You can intervene, and you can use an attorney to either investigate the case to show that you're innocent or to try to get information on your behalf to mitigate or reduce the charges.

Another thing your attorney can do is talk to the prosecutor involved with the case before an indictment is filed and see if anything can be done to avoid an indictment, or at minimum, to be able to represent your interest while the United States Attorney is trying to figure out exactly how they're going to handle your case.

What they're going to do — whether they're going to arrest you in front of your friends and family or whether you might be able to just turn yourself in at a designated location, then your attorney can argue to try to get you released without you being in custody for a significant period of time.

Realize that in the federal criminal system, once you are arrested, you may be detained without the ability to post a bond. They don't have bail bondsmen in federal criminal cases, so you definitely want to get an attorney before you're indicted for trying to make some moves on your behalf so that you can end up with the best possible result.

I've handled many cases pre-indictment, dealing with prosecutors and clearly communicating my client's position from the outset. This is crucial, as it can benefit a criminal defendant in numerous ways.

So, if you're being investigated or suspect you might be being investigated before you're indicted, pick up the phone. Make the call. I've been doing this for 26 years. I'm confident that I can help you strategize your next steps, identify the best moves to make, and guide you through the process with the prosecutors, ultimately securing the best possible outcome in your federal criminal case.

Types of Federal Criminal Cases We Defend

Federal criminal conduct usually falls under several categories, many similar to those found in State Courts. Some of the most common federal cases we have dealt with include the following:

Federal drug offenses normally involve selling, manufacturing, or distributing controlled substances, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, or other illegal substances. Most federal drug offenses involve the transportation of narcotics over state lines. We handle cases of drug smuggling and drug trafficking that often involve transporting drugs from one state to another in a motor vehicle or other means of transportation.

Child pornography and Internet sex crimes are federal offenses that typically involve trafficking, selling, distributing, or possessing child pornography through the use of computers and the Internet. Due to the fact that using a computer and the internet are almost always crucial factors in the cases, your federal defense attorney has to have experience in dealing with these types of cases.

Other federal crimes we handle are bank robberies, which are always charged as a federal crime, computer crimes, conspiracy, property crimes, carjacking, gang crimes, hate crimes, probation violations, immigration violations, insider trading, kidnapping, hostage taking, passport fraud, public corruption, tax evasion, video voyeurism, stalking, weapons charges, assault a federal officer, a felon with a firearm, coin mutilation, and organized crimes known as the Racketeer Influenced & Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

If you are under federal criminal investigation or have already been arrested for a federal crime, contact our federal criminal defense lawyers to review the details of your case and legal options. Hedding Law Firm is a criminal defense law firm located in Los Angeles County at 16000 Ventura Blvd #1208, Encino, CA 91436.

Best Strategies for Federal Criminal Defense

Federal criminal defense is a crucial topic because if someone is charged with a federal crime, they may face several months in federal prison.

The feds usually don't get involved in criminal cases unless it's severe and sophisticated, and they're coming to exact a harsh punishment against the defendants being charged. So, obviously, you're going to want to find the best criminal defense attorney who practices federally in the jurisdiction where your case is pending.

I've been doing this for 30 years. I've handled federal cases all over the nation, and I think it's essential that you meet with and talk to your attorney to discuss the details of your case.

Be honest with the attorney so they can give you a fair and accurate assessment of what may happen to you moving forward with a federal case. This gives you peace of mind and control, so you understand precisely what you face.

There is a set of guidelines known as the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. That is what all the judges nationwide use when they sentence someone. So, they're going to review those guidelines, which will serve as the basis for determining the punishment a person faces.

So, strategy-wise, you want first to hire the best attorney you can find. Then, after hiring your attorney, you want to see what you can do to help your attorney achieve the best possible result.

Many times, I have my clients provide character letters on their behalf. I also have my clients sit down with me, and we develop a specific strategy tailored to the case we're facing. First, we'll review all the discoveries in the case.

Then, I'll discuss the case with the prosecutor to understand their perspective, and we'll decide whether this is the type of case we'll fight or attempt to resolve. If we fight the case, we will obviously conduct a thorough investigation, gather all the available information, and prepare the case for trial.

If, on the other hand, we're going to negotiate the case, I'll have the prosecutor send us a plea agreement where they're offering to settle the case. They want you to plead guilty to certain charges or a charge in the indictment, and then you'll face a specific amount of time in custody, depending on precisely what the charges are and what enhancements might apply.

So, I think the biggest thing when discussing strategies for federal criminal cases is understanding the system, getting an experienced attorney, helping that attorney prepare your case, and assisting that attorney in finalizing everything.

If you need the best, you've come to the right place. Pick up the phone. Ask for a meeting with Ron Hedding. Let me put my 30 years of experience to work for you.

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