Criminal Defense Lawyers

Maryland Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers

Maryland Federal Criminal Defense Lawyers

Welcome to Spodek Law Group. Our mission is to give you the unfiltered reality about federal prosecution in Maryland – not the version that makes you feel better, the version you actually need to know.

Heres what most people get wrong about Maryland’s federal court. You think your being prosecuted in Maryland instead of DC, and that feels like relief. Smaller district. More manageable. Maybe even more fair. But the Greenbelt federal courthouse – were alot of white-collar and national security cases get filed – is exactly 30 minutes from the Department of Justice headquarters in Washington DC. The prosecutor handling your case spent the last two years in Maryland building there résumé so they can rotate into Main Justice next year. You didnt avoid DC. You got DC prosecutors with a Maryland address and a jury pool they think is easier to convict.

The proximity isnt convenience. Its exposure. Your facing federal prosecutors who are using your case as a stepping stone to careers at DOJ headquarters. Federal agencies – NSA at Fort Meade, FBI Baltimore field office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Secret Service – all have major operations in Maryland. When they investigate in there own backyard and file charges, you end up in a federal court thats geographicly close to the nations capital but functions as a training ground for the Justice Departments next generation. Maryland’s average federal fraud sentence is 41 months. The national average is 28 months. Thats 13 additional months – more then a year – for the same crime. The numbers dont lie.

One District, Two Different Federal Courts

Maryland has one federal judicial district. But if you think that means one unified court system, your wrong. The District of Maryland operates two primary courthouses, and were your case gets filed determines almost everything about what happens next.

The federal courthouse in Baltimore handles street-level federal crime. Drug trafficking cases coming up from I-95. Firearms prosecutions. MS-13 RICO cases. Violent crime with federal jurisdiction. If your case involves narcotics distribution or gang activity, its probly going to Baltimore. The jury pool comes from Baltimore City – urban, diverse, sometimes skeptical of federal prosecution.

Twenty-five miles away in Greenbelt, the second federal courthouse handles a completly different category of cases. White-collar fraud. Cybercrime. Public corruption. National security prosecutions. If your a business owner, healthcare provider, government contractor, or someone accused of classified information violations, your case is landing in Greenbelt. The jury pool comes from suburban Maryland counties – Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, Howard County. Prosecutors generally prefer this jury pool. There not wrong to prefer it.

Same federal district. Same judges rotating between courthouses. But the defendant profiles couldnt be more different. And you dont get to choose which courthouse handles your case. Geography and case type decide for you. A fraud case in Baltimore County still goes to Greenbelt becuase thats were the federal prosecutors who specialize in white-collar crime sit. A drug case in Prince Georges County goes to Baltimore even though Greenbelt is closer. The assignment isnt about convenience. Its about prosecution infrastructure.

This two-courthouse structure creates something nobody tells you about. Your not just facing “Maryland federal court.” Your facing one of two prosecution machines, each with different priorities, different jury dynamics, and different relationships to the power centers in Washington DC. If you dont understand which machine your in, you dont understand your case.

Thirty Minutes from Main Justice

Drive south on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway from Greenbelt federal courthouse. In 30 minutes your at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building – Main Justice, were the Attorney General sits, were DOJ policy gets made, were the Criminal Division and National Security Division and Tax Division operate. Thats not trivia. Thats your prosecution reality.

Federal defenders will tell you this privately: Maryland is a “feeder office.” Prosecutors spend two to four years as Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Maryland, then they rotate to DOJ headquarters. The Criminal Division. The Fraud Section. The Public Integrity Section. Tax Division. National Security Division. Maryland USAO is were ambitious federal prosecutors build the résumés and trial experience that get them hired at Main Justice. Your case isnt just a file number. Its there career advancement.

You might think, “But the U.S. Attorney for Maryland is independent. There appointed to represent Maryland, not to take orders from DC.” Technically true. Practicly misleading. U.S. Attorneys serve at the pleasure of the Attorney General. DOJ headquarters issues prosecution priorities, charging policies, and strategic initiatives that every U.S. Attorneys office follows. And when your office is 30 minutes away, when DOJ leadership can drive over for meetings, when your prosecutors are actively applying for positions at Main Justice, the theoretical independence bends toward practical alignment.

Now add the federal agency concentration. Fort Meade – were the National Security Agency headquarters sits – is in Maryland. Anne Arundel County. The NSA employes tens of thousands of people. When an NSA contractor gets accused of removing classified material, the investigation happens at Fort Meade, the arrest happens in Maryland, and the prosecution files in Maryland federal court. Harold Martin – the NSA contractor accused of taking classified documents home over 20 years – prosecuted in Maryland. Jurisdiction was automatic.

IRS Criminal Investigation has a major field office in New Carrollton, Maryland. When IRS-CI builds a tax fraud or money laundering case in the Mid-Atlantic region, it often files in Maryland. FBI Baltimore field office covers Maryland and Delaware – major cases originating from FBI investigations file in Maryland federal court. Secret Service has offices throughout Maryland becuase of the proximity to DC and federal facilities.

What does this mean for you? Your not facing local enforcement making local decisions. Your facing federal agencies with headquarters-level resources prosecuting cases that advance national priorities. The prosecutors handling these cases arent thinking about Maryland norms. There thinking about DOJ policy and there next position in Washington.

The Résumé-Building Prosecutor Problem

Lets be specific about what happens when your prosecutor is building a career. There not thinking about wether your case deserves five years or two years based on local standards. There thinking about how this case looks on there résumé when they apply to the Fraud Section next year.

A prosecutor who gets a guilty verdict at trial – especially in a complex case – has proven trial skills. A prosecutor who secures cooperation from multiple defendants in a conspiracy case has shown they can flip witnesses. A prosecutor who gets a significant sentence on a high-profile fraud case demonstrates they can handle major white-collar prosecutions. Every one of these outcomes makes them more attractive to Main Justice.

This creates pressure you dont see. Your case might be there first or second trial. They need the experience. They need the win. Theres less incentive to offer reasonable plea deals early becuase taking the case to trial – even if they ultimately win a conviction on lesser charges – gives them courtroom hours and litigation experience. In alot of districts, prosecutors are overworked and happy to resolve cases efficiently. In Maryland, particularly on complex cases in Greenbelt, your facing prosecutors who might actually want the trial for résumé purposes.

The sentence recommendations matter too. If your prosecutor is trying to impress the Tax Division or Fraud Section, there going to seek sentences at the higher end of the guidelines. Advisory guidelines give prosecutors and judges flexibility, but aggressive prosecutors push for upward departures, enhancements, and max guideline ranges. Why? Becuase “obtained 87-month sentence in complex fraud case” looks better then “defendant received 24 months.”

Former Maryland AUSAs will admit this if you ask them directly. One described it as “auditioning for Main Justice with every major case.” Another said prosecutors are constantly aware that there supervisors and colleagues might be future references for DOJ positions. The incentive structure dosent align with your interests. It aligns with career advancement.

Does this mean every Maryland prosecutor is ruthless and unreasonable? No. But it means your facing someone whose professional future might depend on how aggressively they prosecute you. And thats a different calculation then facing a career prosecutor whos been in the same office for 15 years and just wants to clear cases fairly.

The Sentence Premium You’re Actually Paying

Here are the numbers that nobody puts on a billboard. According to federal sentencing data for fiscal year 2023, the average sentence for fraud offenses in the District of Maryland was 41 months. The national average for fraud offenses was 28 months. Thats a 46% increase. Thats 13 additional months in federal prison – well over a year – for the same category of crime prosecuted in Maryland versus the national average.

It gets worse when you look at case composition. Nationwide, approximately 22% of federal criminal cases are fraud and white-collar offenses. In Maryland, that number is 38%. Maryland isnt just prosecuting more white-collar crime. Its prosecuting it more harshly. The combination of case volume and sentence length creates a pattern: if you commit a fraud offense and get prosecuted in Maryland federal court, your facing significantly worse outcomes then if the same conduct got prosecuted in most other federal districts.

COVID-19 fraud prosecutions are a perfect example. Between 2020 and 2023, federal prosecutors nationwide went after PPP loan fraud, EIDL fraud, and pandemic relief schemes. Cases filed in Maryland federal court recieved sentences averaging 30% longer then similar cases in neighboring districts. Why? Aggressive prosecutors. Judges accustomed to complex DOJ cases with harsh sentencing recommendations. And juries in Greenbelt who dont have much sympathy for business owners accused of defrauding pandemic relief programs.

The sentencing guidelines are supposed to create uniformity – same offense level, same criminal history, same guideline range everywhere. But judges have discretion. Prosecutors have discretion in what charges to bring, what enhancements to seek, and what sentence to recommend. In Maryland, that discretion trends upward. Your facing prosecutors who need strong outcomes for there careers and judges who’ve been conditioned by years of DOJ-driven cases to impose serious sentences.

Defense attorneys who practice in multiple federal districts will tell you this: Maryland is tougher then alot of places. Not becuase the law is different. Becuase the prosecution environment is more aggressive and the sentencing culture reflects DOJ priorities rather then local norms. If you think “federal is federal” and it dosent matter which district your in, your wrong. Geography matters. And Maryland’s geography – 30 minutes from Main Justice, surrounded by federal agency headquarters – creates a sentencing premium you’ll pay in months and years.

From Mayor Pugh to NSA Contractors: The Pattern

Catherine Pugh was the Mayor of Baltimore. In 2019, federal prosecutors charged her with fraud and tax evasion related to sales of her self-published childrens books. The “Healthy Holly” book scheme involved using her position as mayor to pressure organizations and businesses to purchase thousands of copies of books that were never delivered or used as intended. She pleaded guilty. She was sentenced to three years in federal prison. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Maryland, and the case became a high-profile example of public corruption enforcement.

Harold Martin was an NSA contractor working at Fort Meade. Over the course of 20 years, he removed classified documents and digital files from NSA facilities and stored them at his home in Maryland. When FBI agents raided his house in 2016, they found what investigators described as potentially the largest breach of classified information in U.S. history – terabytes of data, physical documents, extremely sensitive intelligence. He wasnt accused of espionage or selling secrets. Prosecutors said he was a hoarder who took materials home to study. He pleaded guilty to willful retention of national defense information. He recieved nine years in federal prison. The case was prosecuted in Maryland federal court becuase the conduct occured at Fort Meade and his residence was in Maryland.

Between 2020 and 2023, Maryland federal prosecutors pursued dozens of COVID-19 relief fraud cases. One defendant in Greenbelt recieved 78 months for a $3.9 million PPP loan scheme. Another got 60 months for fraudulent EIDL applications. These werent outliers. They were part of a coordinated enforcement priority coming directly from DOJ headquarters, and Maryland was one of the districts leading the charge.

MS-13 gang prosecutions have been a staple of the Baltimore federal courthouse for years. The FBI and ATF built massive RICO cases targeting MS-13 leadership and members involved in murders, drug trafficking, and violent racketeering. These cases involve dozens of defendants, wiretaps, cooperating witnesses, and years of investigation. The sentences are measured in decades. The prosecutions serve both local public safety goals and national gang enforcement priorities.

Look at the pattern. Public corruption – Pugh. National security – Martin. White-collar pandemic fraud – dozens of defendants. Violent gang enforcement – MS-13 RICO cases. Maryland federal court handles street crime AND high-profile national priority cases. The prosecutors working on Mayor Pugh’s case were building public corruption credentials. The prosecutors working on Harold Martin were working with DOJ’s National Security Division. The COVID fraud prosecutors were implementing a nationwide enforcement initiative.

Every one of these cases reinforces the same point. Maryland federal court isnt a sleepy local district. Its a prosecution environment were federal priorities get enforced, were prosecutors build careers on complex cases, and were defendants – whether there a mayor, an NSA contractor, or a business owner – face the full weight of DOJ resources and aggression. If you think your case is different becuase your not famous or your not accused of espionage, think again. The same prosecutors, the same judges, the same harsh sentencing culture applies to you.

What Federal Defense in Maryland Actually Requires

Understanding the prosecution environment is step one. Step two is building a defense strategy that accounts for what your actually facing. If your being prosecuted in Maryland federal court – especially if your case is in Greenbelt – you need to understand that traditional defense approaches might not be enough.

First, early intervention matters more in Maryland then in districts were prosecutors are overworked and willing to dismiss marginal cases. If your under investigation but not yet charged, having an experienced federal defense attorney communicate with prosecutors before indictment can sometimes prevent charges from being filed at all. Once the indictment comes down, leverage shifts dramatically against you. Maryland prosecutors dont indict weak cases. If there charging you, they believe they can convict you.

Second, your attorney needs to understand the specific dynamics of Maryland federal court. Which judges handle which types of cases. Which AUSAs are career prosecutors versus which ones are rotating through on there way to Main Justice. What the sentencing trends are for your particular offense. An attorney whos practiced in federal court generally but hasnt handled cases in Maryland specifically might not understand that the culture here is more aggressive then other districts.

Third, cooperation – if its on the table – requires sophisticated strategy. In districts were prosecutors are desperate for information, cooperation can be leveraged effectively. In Maryland, were prosecutors have resources and often already have strong cases, cooperation needs to be timed correctly and need to offer genuine value. Profferring too early, before your attorney has fully investigated what evidence the government actualy has, is almost always a mistake. And if your going to cooperate, you need to understand that Maryland prosecutors will hold you to every statement and expect you to deliver testimony at trial if required.

Fourth, sentencing advocacy is critical. Given Maryland’s sentencing premium – 41 months versus 28 months on fraud cases – you need an attorney who can effectively argue for downward variances, present mitigation evidence, and push back against prosecutorial recommendations for guideline maximums. Judges have discretion. But you need someone who knows how to use that discretion in your favor, and who understands which judges in Maryland are more receptive to mitigation arguments versus which ones default to government recommendations.

Fifth, trial strategy – if your case goes to trial – has to account for jury dynamics. If your case is in Greenbelt with a suburban Maryland jury, your facing jurors who statistically lean more prosecution-friendly then Baltimore City juries. That dosent mean you cant win. It means your jury selection, your witness presentation, and your trial themes need to be calibrated to that specific audience. A defense that works in Brooklyn federal court might not work in Greenbelt.

Todd Spodek and the team at Spodek Law Group have represented clients in federal courts across the country, including Maryland’s unique prosecution environment. We understand that defending federal cases in Maryland requires accounting for the DOJ proximity factor – the aggressive prosecutors, the harsh sentencing culture, the federal agency concentration, and the career advancement pressures that shape how cases get prosecuted. Were not here to tell you what you want to hear. Were here to give you the reality of what your facing and build a defense strategy based on that reality.

If your facing federal charges in Maryland, if youve recieved a target letter, or if federal agents have contacted you for an interview, dont wait. The government has been building there case for months or possibly years. Every day you delay is a day they get stronger and your options narrow. Call 212-300-5196 for a consultation. We’ll give you an honest assessment of were you stand, what the prosecution environment in Maryland actually looks like, and what your real options are.

This is serious. The proximity to DC isnt just geography. Its a prosecution machine. Treat it that way.