San Bernardino Federal Crime Lawyer

Federal crime representation grounded in 13 years of work on behalf of clients in San Bernardino and the surrounding region.

If you’re facing a federal investigation or criminal charges in San Bernardino, CA, you need a federal crimes attorney on your side. Federal prosecutors are well-resourced, their conviction rates are high, and the sentencing consequences can be severe. At Seyb Law Group, our San Bernardino, CA federal crime lawyer has spent 13 years building defenses across a wide range of federal matters. We offer a free initial consultation with no obligation to retain, and we accept payment plans. Contact us today to reserve your appointment.

Federal Crime Attorney San Bernardino, CA

Federal offenses are investigated by agencies like the FBI, DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Department of Homeland Security. These agencies can spend months or even years building a case before charges are ever filed. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, which prosecutes federal cases in California, operates with dedicated resources and specialized prosecutors who handle only federal matters.

When we review your case, we need to understand how these agencies are building their investigations against you, where evidence can be challenged, and how the federal sentencing guidelines influence the case. Those guidelines bind judges in a way that state law often doesn’t. Federal sentences carry less judicial discretion, mandatory minimums are common, and early intervention by our team can affect how the case gets charged, whether a negotiated resolution makes sense, and how sentencing exposure is ultimately calculated.

Types of Federal Crime Cases We Handle in San Bernardino

We defend clients against a wide range of federal criminal charges throughout San Bernardino, CA. The specific offense determines which federal agency was involved, which courthouse handles the matter, and what the likely sentencing exposure would be. Here are examples of federal cases we represent:

• Child pornography. Federal prosecutors bring significant resources to these cases. Defense requires careful review of how evidence was obtained, chain-of-custody issues, and whether any constitutional violations occurred during the child pornography investigation.
• Computer hacking. Federal computer fraud charges under statutes like the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act carry serious penalties. Unauthorized access allegations often have more factual nuance than the government’s initial framing suggests, and digital forensic evidence needs independent scrutiny.
• Drug manufacturing. Federal drug manufacturing charges typically arise from large-scale operations involving co-defendants, confidential informants, and wiretap evidence. Each of those elements creates avenues for challenge that an experienced federal defense attorney will pursue.
• Drug trafficking. Quantity thresholds trigger federal mandatory minimums in trafficking cases. Our federal crime attorney in San Bernardino analyzes the stop, search, and seizure from the beginning to identify suppression issues or grounds for charge reduction.
• Healthcare fraud. These cases involve complex billing records, regulatory compliance questions, and often multiple defendants across an organization. The volume of healthcare fraud documentary evidence is significant, and understanding how to work through it is central to the defense.
• Importation/exportation of controlled substances. Border-related federal drug charges fall under distinct statutes and often involve coordination between Customs and Border Protection and the DEA.
• Mail fraud. Mail fraud counts are frequently added alongside other charges and can meaningfully increase sentencing exposure. Prosecutors apply these charges broadly, and the specific elements required for conviction are worth examining carefully.
• Money laundering. Money laundering charges are often stacked on top of underlying offenses. They require proof of specific intent, and that element is more defensible than the government’s charging documents suggest.
• Racketeering. RICO charges require pattern-of-racketeering evidence and often name multiple defendants. The scope demands thorough investigation and strategic decisions made early in the process.
• Securities fraud. These cases often involve parallel civil and criminal tracks, with the SEC and DOJ coordinating their investigations. Managing both simultaneously requires a clear, organized approach.
• Tax fraud and tax evasion. IRS Criminal Investigation builds these cases long before they reach the DOJ. There’s often more room to challenge intent and valuation questions than clients initially expect.
• Wire fraud. Wire fraud is one of the most broadly applied federal charges. It requires proof of electronic communications used in furtherance of a scheme to defraud, and intent is almost always the central contested issue.

Why Choose Seyb Law Group for Federal Crimes in San Bernardino, CA?

13 Years of Criminal Defense in California Courts

Spencer Seyb founded Seyb Law Group because he believes every defendant deserves real representation, regardless of what they’re charged with. He graduated from Trinity Law School in Santa Ana and has spent 13 years defending clients across California in both state and federal matters. His approach is direct by understanding the government’s theory, finding its weaknesses, and pursuing the best available outcome with persistence.

For anyone facing federal charges in the Inland Empire, our criminal defense lawyer in San Bernardino, CA covers the full range of criminal defense work in this region.

Results That Reflect How We Work

Federal cases require preparation that starts from day one. Seyb Law Group has achieved favorable outcomes across serious criminal matters, including felony drug sales and transportation charges reduced with no jail time, felony charges reduced to misdemeanors, and other cases dismissed outright. Our results reflect what happens when a defense is built methodically and pursued with strong strategy.

What Is Important To Understand About Federal Crime Cases?

Charges, Penalties, and Defense Strategies for Federal Cases

Federal sentencing follows the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which calculate a recommended range based on the offense level and criminal history. Judges have less flexibility than in state court. Understanding where the guidelines land in your case is one of the first things a federal criminal defense attorney needs to work through. Key concepts that shape federal defense strategy include:

• Offense levels and enhancements: The base offense level can be increased by factors like drug quantity, the dollar amount in fraud cases, a defendant’s leadership role, or weapon possession during the offense.
• Mandatory minimums: Certain charges carry sentences that remove judicial discretion entirely. Drug trafficking above specific quantity thresholds is the most common example.
• Conspiracy charges: Federal prosecutors frequently charge conspiracy alongside the underlying offense. Conspiracy can be applied broadly, and co-defendant cooperation agreements can shift how charges are distributed among defendants.
• Suppression of evidence: Fourth Amendment challenges to searches, seizures, and wiretap authorizations are often where federal cases are won or lost before trial. If agents violated the law in gathering evidence, that evidence may not be usable.
• Plea agreements: Most federal cases resolve through negotiated pleas. But accepting one without fully understanding the sentencing guidelines implications, cooperation obligations, and collateral consequences is a serious mistake.

Important Aspects of a Federal Crime Case

Federal cases move differently than state cases, and certain aspects carry more weight than most clients initially realize. Grand jury proceedings often precede an indictment, and some defendants receive a target letter before charges are filed. Even the knowledge that you’re under investigation is the time to contact a San Bernardino federal criminal attorney, not after the indictment arrives.

• Discovery in federal cases can involve enormous volumes of documents, financial records, communications, and surveillance materials. Working through that material thoroughly is not optional.
• Cooperating co-defendants can dramatically affect how charges are structured and what leverage exists in negotiations.
• Collateral consequences of a federal conviction, including loss of professional licenses, immigration consequences, and bars on federal employment or benefits, can extend past the sentence and should be part of every defense conversation from the start.

Federal Crime Case Timeline

Federal cases can take time to develop a defense for, and the process can feel prolonged. But our team can get you prepared for what is ahead. Generally, here is the federal case timeline in how they are handled:

• Investigation: Federal agencies can investigate for months or years before charges are filed. A target letter or subpoena may be the first notice a defendant receives.
• Grand jury and indictment: The grand jury reviews evidence and decides whether to indict. Arrest and initial appearance before a magistrate judge follow.
• Pretrial motions: Suppression motions, motions to dismiss, and other challenges are litigated here. At this stage, complex federal cases can take many months.
• Resolution: Federal trials can run days to weeks, but the majority of cases resolve through plea agreements before trial reaches the courtroom.

What to Bring to Your Federal Crime Consultation

Take with you as much information as you have related to your charges, but you don’t need everything organized to have a consultation done. We can gather more evidence as we do our own investigation. However, we recommend bringing with whatever documentation you have available:

• Any target letter, grand jury subpoena, or charging documents you’ve received.
• Notes on any contact you’ve had with federal investigators.
• Financial records, communications, or business documents related to the investigation.
• A clear account of what, if anything, agents have said to you.

Legal Resources for Federal Crime Cases in San Bernardino

Federal criminal matters in San Bernardino are handled through the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Relevant resources include:

• U.S. District Court (Central District of California): Handles federal criminal proceedings for San Bernardino County.
• U.S. Sentencing Commission: Publishes the federal sentencing guidelines that govern all federal criminal cases.
• U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District: Oversees federal prosecutions in this region.
• FBI Los Angeles Field Office: Covers the Inland Empire and investigates many federal offenses in San Bernardino County.
• DEA Los Angeles Field Division: Investigates federal drug trafficking and manufacturing cases throughout Southern California.

Reach Out to Seyb Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

A federal charge is not something to approach without a reliable defense counsel, as the government has already begun building its case. At Seyb Law Group, we offer a free initial consultation with no obligation to retain, and we accept payment plans so cost isn’t a barrier to getting real representation. Contact us to speak with a federal crime attorney about your situation.