Being investigated or charged with a federal crime can place your freedom, career, finances, and reputation at immediate risk. Federal prosecutors have extensive investigative resources and often begin building their case months before an arrest or indictment.

Do not speak with federal agents or attempt to explain the allegations without first understanding your potential exposure. Contact federal criminal defense attorney Michael J. Petro before making a statement or surrendering important legal rights.

Michael J. Petro has more than 35 years of criminal defense experience representing individuals and businesses in serious federal cases. His representation covers every stage of the federal criminal process, including investigations, grand jury proceedings, pretrial motions, plea negotiations, jury trials, sentencing, and appeals.

Defense Against Serious Federal Charges

Federal criminal cases differ significantly from state prosecutions. Investigations may involve multiple agencies, extensive electronic surveillance, grand jury subpoenas, search warrants, financial records, cooperating witnesses, and complex federal statutes.

Federal charges may also carry severe consequences, including:

  • Lengthy federal prison sentences
  • Mandatory minimum sentences
  • Substantial fines
  • Restitution
  • Forfeiture of money and property
  • Loss of professional licenses
  • Damage to a business or career
  • Restrictions on constitutional rights
  • Immigration consequences
  • Terms of supervised release

An indictment is only an accusation. The government must prove every required element of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

Types of Federal Criminal Cases

Attorney Petro represents clients facing a broad range of federal criminal investigations and charges, including:

  • Mail fraud and wire fraud
  • Bank and financial institution fraud
  • Money laundering
  • Healthcare fraud
  • Tax evasion and federal tax offenses
  • PPP, EIDL, and SBA loan fraud
  • Embezzlement and theft
  • Internet and computer crimes
  • Drug trafficking
  • Federal firearms offenses
  • Conspiracy
  • False statements
  • Obstruction of justice
  • Public corruption
  • Federal asset forfeiture
  • Other serious federal offenses

Business owners, executives, professionals, and employees facing financial allegations can learn more about Attorney Petro’s representation in federal white-collar criminal cases.

Federal Investigations and Grand Jury Proceedings

A federal criminal case often begins before charges are filed. You may first learn about an investigation when agents request an interview, serve a grand jury subpoena, execute a search warrant, contact an employee or business associate, or obtain financial and electronic records.

Federal investigators may tell you that they only want to ask a few questions. Even a person described as a witness can become a subject or target as the investigation develops.

You are generally not required to participate in a voluntary interview. You should never lie to federal agents, destroy evidence, alter records, or instruct anyone else to delete information.

Attorney Petro can communicate with investigators and prosecutors, determine the client’s status, respond to subpoenas, evaluate potential charges, and begin developing a defense before an indictment is returned. Learn more about representation during federal investigations and grand jury proceedings.

Challenging the Government’s Evidence

Federal agents and prosecutors must comply with the United States Constitution and applicable federal law when gathering evidence.

The defense may need to examine:

  • Whether a search warrant was supported by probable cause
  • Whether agents exceeded the warrant’s authorized scope
  • Whether a traffic or investigative stop was lawful
  • Whether statements were obtained in violation of Miranda
  • Whether a confession was voluntary
  • Whether electronic surveillance was legally authorized
  • Whether identification procedures were unduly suggestive
  • Whether privileged communications were improperly obtained
  • Whether prosecutors disclosed exculpatory evidence
  • Whether evidence is admissible under the Federal Rules of Evidence

When evidence was obtained unlawfully, Attorney Petro may file a motion to suppress or another pretrial motion seeking to prevent the government from using it.

Federal Plea Negotiations

A proposed plea agreement must be evaluated carefully. Pleading guilty can affect the offense of conviction, sentencing exposure, restitution, forfeiture, cooperation obligations, and the right to appeal.

Before recommending a plea, Attorney Petro evaluates the government’s evidence, available defenses, mandatory minimums, likely Sentencing Guidelines range, factual stipulations, appeal waivers, and the risks of proceeding to trial.

A prosecutor’s sentencing recommendation generally does not bind the judge unless the agreement contains a qualifying binding provision that the court accepts. Learn more about working with a federal plea negotiation attorney.

Federal Criminal Trials

Every person accused of a federal crime has the right to require the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Effective trial representation begins long before jury selection. It requires investigation, discovery review, legal research, pretrial motions, evidentiary preparation, witness examination, and a clear defense strategy.

Michael J. Petro has served as lead counsel in more than 45 federal jury trials. His federal trial experience includes challenging government witnesses, cross examining cooperating defendants, litigating evidentiary issues, presenting defense evidence, and arguing the case to the jury.

Learn more about Attorney Petro’s experience as a federal criminal trial attorney.

Federal Sentencing

Federal sentencing requires more than calculating an advisory Guidelines range. The court must consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines together with the statutory factors governing the sentence.

Potential sentencing issues may include:

  • The base offense level
  • Loss amounts or drug quantities
  • Role adjustments
  • Obstruction allegations
  • Acceptance of responsibility
  • Criminal history
  • Mandatory minimum sentences
  • Departures and variances
  • Restitution
  • Forfeiture
  • Mitigating evidence
  • The defendant’s history and characteristics

Attorney Petro reviews the presentence investigation report, challenges factual and legal errors, develops mitigation evidence, prepares sentencing memoranda, and advocates for an appropriate sentence. Additional information is available on his federal sentencing and sentence reductions page.

Federal Criminal Appeals

A conviction or sentence does not necessarily end the case. Legal errors may provide grounds for review by a federal court of appeals.

Potential appellate issues can include improper admission of evidence, incorrect jury instructions, denial of a motion to suppress, insufficient evidence, sentencing errors, or an unreasonable sentence.

Appeal deadlines are strict. A defendant should obtain appellate advice promptly after judgment. Attorney Petro has handled more than 28 federal appeals in the Eleventh, Seventh, and Fifth Circuit Courts of Appeals.

Learn more about representation by a federal criminal appeals attorney.

Representation Through Every Stage of a Federal Case

The United States Department of Justice describes the principal stages of the federal criminal process, including investigation, charging, plea bargaining, trial, sentencing, and appeal.

Attorney Petro’s representation may include:

  • Communicating with federal investigators and prosecutors
  • Responding to grand jury subpoenas
  • Reviewing search warrants
  • Investigating the government’s allegations
  • Analyzing financial and electronic evidence
  • Filing motions to suppress evidence
  • Litigating other pretrial motions
  • Negotiating with federal prosecutors
  • Preparing for jury trial
  • Challenging Sentencing Guidelines calculations
  • Developing mitigating evidence
  • Pursuing federal appeals

Every case requires an individualized strategy based on the charges, evidence, controlling law, and the client’s objectives.

Federal Criminal Defense Attorney Michael J. Petro

Michael J. Petro represents clients in Tampa, Chicago, and federal courts where he is admitted to practice. His experience as a former prosecutor, federal trial attorney, and federal appellate attorney allows him to evaluate a case from the investigation through its final resolution.

Explore the federal criminal defense practice areas below. If you are under federal investigation or have been charged with a federal crime, protect yourself before prosecutors gain any further advantage and contact federal criminal defense attorney Michael J. Petro now.