Federal Criminal Practice Areas
I represent people facing federal investigation and prosecution in the District of Oregon. My practice is federal criminal law and nothing else. I work for my clients in the federal courtroom and the negotiation table to get the job done. These are some the subject areas frequently covered in my work.
Not sure whether your federal matter fits my practice? Call me for a free consultation. I will tell you whether your case falls within the areas I handle.
Call to discuss your caseFederal Investigations and Target Letters
Defending your case and building a strategy starts right away. Some of the most important work in a federal case often happens before any charge is filed. If agents have contacted you, served a subpoena, executed a search warrant, or sent a target letter, it is time to get a lawyer. Remain silent and protect your rights. I assess your exposure, communicate with the federal prosecutor, and work to shape the charging decision or prevent one. I also represent witnesses and subjects in grand jury proceedings, depositions, and agency investigations, including FBI, HSI, IRS-CI, and Postal Inspection Service matters.
What a federal target letter meansArrests, Warrants, and Pretrial Release
A federal arrest moves fast. The detention hearing usually happens within days, and its outcome shapes everything that follows. I have specialized training in applying the Bail Reform Act of 1984 to maximize arguments in favor of release pending trial. I prepare release plans, work with Pretrial Services, and seek the most minimal supervision conditions available under federal law. If you have an outstanding federal warrant, I know how to arrange a voluntary surrender that avoids an arrest at home or at work.
Protest, Activism, and ICE-Related Arrests
Federal agents and prosecutors sometimes charge protesters with assaulting or impeding federal officers, trespassing on federal property, and violating federal facility regulations. People who observe or record immigration enforcement have faced charges as well. These cases turn on video, officer credibility, and the First Amendment. I have defended activists in Portland's federal court for years, and I advise community members and organizations on their rights during ICE enforcement actions.
Privacy, Digital Evidence, and Search and Seizure
What is your surveillance environment with respect to a federal investigation? Are your phone and electronics secure? Has there been a search warrant or subpoena activity? Many federal cases involve digital data in some form: phone extractions, cloud accounts, location history, license plate readers, and pole cameras. I litigate the Fourth Amendment issues these tools raise, including overbroad warrants and unsupported affidavits. I can also file motions under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 41(g) to recover seized items and to seek destruction of your personal data that the government has no reason or right to keep.
Protecting your phone and cloud dataWhite-Collar Investigations and Fraud
Federal investigations do not necessarily result in federal charges. Getting an attorney involved early to communicate with agents and prosecutors is valuable so that they don’t act against you based on exaggerations, misunderstandings or false accusations. Sometimes a civil penalty is the correct alternative to a criminal prosecution. White collar investigations and prosecutions for wire fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, and computer crimes are document-heavy cases. They are also loss-driven at sentencing, where the guidelines calculation can matter more than the verdict. I work through the records, retain forensic accountants when the case calls for it, and contest loss and restitution figures that overstate the harm.
Drug and Multi-Defendant Conspiracy Cases
Conspiracy charges sweep broadly. A person with a small role can face the same mandatory minimum as the organizer. I focus on the facts that separate my client from the group: the drug quantity actually attributable to them, their role in the offense, and eligibility for safety-valve relief or other types of mitigation. Narcotics cases come with surveillance issues, wiretaps, cooperating witnesses, and large discovery productions. I have many years of federal trial experience going up against the DEA, FBI and federal task forces and have received specialized training. I approach these cases with aggressive defense strategies and extensive legal knowledge.
Lowering sentences through minor and minimal roleImmigration Offenses
I defend people charged with federal immigration crimes, including illegal reentry after removal and immigration document offenses. Reentry cases can turn on whether the original removal order was valid, and I examine the underlying immigration record in every case. Immigration cases often involve important stories of clients who prioritize family and hard work. These cases carry immigration consequences that must be weighed before pleading guilty.
Federal Misdemeanors and Citations
Not every federal case is a felony. Federal misdemeanor charges and citations issued at federal buildings, national parks and forests, ICE buildings or VA facilities are usually prosecuted in federal court before a magistrate judge. I handle these cases with client privacy in mind and look first for dismissal, deferral, or diversion. I help my clients navigate Central Violations Bureau tickets and try to resolve their matters in way that avoids having to appear in at the federal courthouse.
Sentencing and Guidelines Analysis
In most federal cases, sentencing is where the real fight is. This is a deep area of experience and knowledge for my law practice. I begin the guidelines analysis at the first meeting, because it drives plea negotiations, cooperation decisions, and trial risk. I object to errors in the presentence report, develop mitigation with investigators and experts, and present the full picture of my client to the court under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). I am familiar with mandatory minimum sentences and methods for avoiding rigid sentencing consequences.
Supervised Release, Compassionate Release and Early Termination
I represent clients accused of violating supervised release and seek common sense adjustments to supervision conditions. I also file motions for early termination for clients who have done well on supervision. Federal compassionate release is governed by 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A), which allows federal courts to reduce a prisoner's sentence for "extraordinary and compelling reasons." I have successfully brought these motions to substantially shorten sentences for clients with serious medical concerns.
Navigating supervised release conditionsAsset Forfeiture and Return of Property
Federal agents seize cash, vehicles, and other property, often without filing any criminal charge. The deadlines to contest an administrative forfeiture are short and strictly enforced. I examine forfeiture materials, strategize with clients about their rights and pursue the return of seized property and personal digital data.
Consulting and Representation for Attorneys
Lawyers from Oregon and other federal districts consult with me on federal procedure, criminal practice and defense strategy. Nationally, I have coached federal trial teams and developed expert witnesses for federal court in numerous criminal matters. I have served on faculty for Administrative Office for the United States Courts at intensive trial skills and sentencing seminars. I also represent attorneys under federal investigation. I work collaboratively with my attorney clientele to protect their liberty, reputation and financial interests in federal criminal matters.
Received a Federal Target Letter?
A defined first engagement for people under federal investigation.
A target letter means the government believes it has substantial evidence linking you to a crime. The date in the letter is not a suggestion. Early, careful representation is the best chance to change the outcome.
Target letter consultations include:
- Confidential consultation and review of the letter and related documents
- Preliminary assessment of potential charges and guidelines exposure
- Contact with the prosecutor on your behalf
- Advice on grand jury subpoenas, proffers, and cooperation decisions
- A written plan for next steps
Arrested at a Protest or ICE Action?
Rapid response for federal charges arising from demonstrations and immigration enforcement.
These cases move quickly, and the video evidence that matters most can disappear. Call as soon as possible after an arrest or citation.
Protest arrest representations include:
- Representation at initial appearance and detention hearing
- Immediate preservation demands for video and officer records
- Review of body-worn camera, surveillance, and bystander footage
- Advice on release conditions, including travel and protest restrictions
- Evaluation of First Amendment and selective-enforcement issues
Talk to me about your federal case
Free consultation on federal matters. My reception service answers 24 hours a day in English and Spanish. You may also text me directly.
tex@defenderclark.com
333 SW Taylor St., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97204, near the federal courthouse