State court and federal court are not the same case
Federal criminal cases in Albuquerque are heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. The rules, the prosecutors, the sentencing statutes, and the timeline are different from Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court or the Second Judicial District. A task-force arrest, a grand jury subpoena, or a visit from FBI, DEA, HSI, or a federal postal inspector is a signal to call a lawyer before you talk.
Common federal matters include drug trafficking adopted by the U.S. Attorney, firearms charges, fraud and other financial crimes, and cases that began as a state arrest and were later charged federally. We also appear in related matters in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit when that is the next step.
What to do if federal agents contact you
- Do not agree to an interview without counsel present
- Do not consent to a search of your phone, home, or car if you can decline
- Keep any target letter, subpoena, or business card you were given
- Call us before you return a call to an agent
If you already have a court date
Bring the indictment or complaint, any conditions of release, and the name of the prosecutor if you have it. Do not discuss the facts with family in recorded jail calls. Request a confidential evaluation and we will tell you what the papers show.