You’ve Come to the Right Place. Whether You’ve Made
a Mistake or Have Been Falsely Accused, I Can Help
Resolve Your Matter so You Can Move on With Your
Life as Painlessly as Possible.
Most criminal are handled by state courts in Florida, but some cases concerning matters of the U.S. Constitution and laws passed by Congress are handled in federal courts. There are significant differences between the federal criminal justice system and the state court process, with the severity of the possible sentencing being one of the biggest.
If you are charges with a federal offense, your case will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office. Federal agencies often have much greater resources for developing their cases, and as a result, the federal conviction rate annually exceeds 90 percent.
Jacksonville Federal Defense Lawyer
If you are facing charges for any kind of federal offense, it is important for you to seek a capable criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. Roelke Law provides aggressive defense in federal courts for clients in St. Johns County, Nassau County, Duval County, and Clay County.
We represent people from such surrounding areas of Jacksonville as Atlantic Beach, Fernandina Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, and Ponte Vedra Beach. You can have Bill Roelke review your case and discuss your legal options when you send us an online message or call (904) 354-0333 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation.
There are many differences between the state courts in Florida and federal courts. In addition to different prosecutors, judges, juries, and court processes, the types of cases these two sorts of courts handle are also different.
The state courts in Florida handle:
Most criminal cases
Most contract cases
Family law cases such as adoptions, divorces, and marriages
Probate cases such as estates and wills
Tort cases involving personal injuries
Federal courts, however, handle issues relating to:
There are over 100 chapters of crimes listed in the criminal and penal code of the federal government under Title 18 of the United States Code. Categories of crimes that are the most frequently prosecuted in federal court include, but are not limited to:
White Collar Crimes — Asset forfeiture, bribery, business crimes, computer crimes, embezzlement, forgery, identity theft, money laundering, mortgage fraud, and tax evasion
Racketeering (RICO) Offenses — Bribery, counterfeiting, embezzlement, extortion, gambling offenses, money laundering, murder for hire, obstruction of justice, and witness tampering
Fraud — Bank fraud, business fraud, citizenship fraud, credit card fraud, financial fraud, health care fraud, identification fraud, insurance fraud, internet fraud, mail fraud, Medicare fraud, Medicaid fraud, naturalization fraud, real estate fraud, securities fraud, tax fraud, wire fraud,
Federal Drug Crimes — Conspiracy, cultivation, delivery, distribution, exportation, fraud, importation, laundering money from controlled substance violations, manufacturing, possession, racketeering, smuggling, and trafficking
Weapons Offenses — False statements by licensee, falsification of records by licensee, firearms trafficking, fraud in obtaining a permit to possess or purchase a firearm, illegal sale of firearms, unlawful import and export of weapons, unlawful possession of a weapon, and violent crimes involving the use or discharge of a firearm
Sentencing for federal crimes is very harsh and very complex. If a person is convicted of a federal offense, the sentence is decided by a combination of the person’s criminal history and an offense level based on the severity of the most recent crime for which he or she has been convicted.
The United States Sentencing Commission has 43 offense levels in its federal sentencing guidelines, with a 1 representing the least serious crimes and 43 representing the most serious. The offense level is a deciding factor in fines for convictions:
Offense Level of 3 and below — Minimum fine of $100, maximum fine of $5,000
Offense Level 4 or 5 — Minimum fine of $250, maximum fine of $5,000
Offense Level 6 or 7 — Minimum fine of $500, maximum fine of $5,000
Offense Level 8 or 9 — Minimum fine of $1,000, maximum fine of $10,000
Offense Level 10 or 11 — Minimum fine of $2,000, maximum fine of $20,000
Offense Level 12 or 13 — Minimum fine of $3,000, maximum fine of $30,000
Offense Level 14 or 15 — Minimum fine of $4,000, maximum fine of $40,000
Offense Level 16 or 17 — Minimum fine of $5,000, maximum fine of $50,000
Offense Level 18 or 19 — Minimum fine of $6,000, maximum fine of $60,000
Offense Level between 20 and 22 — Minimum fine of $7,500, maximum fine of $75,000
Offense Level between 23 and 25 — Minimum fine of $10,000, maximum fine of $100,000
Offense Level between 26 and 28 — Minimum fine of $12,500, maximum fine of $125,000
Offense Level between 29 and 31 — Minimum fine of $15,000, maximum fine of $150,000
Offense Level between 32 and 34 — Minimum fine of $17,500, maximum fine of $175,000
Offense Level between 35 and 37 — Minimum fine of $20,000, maximum fine of $200,000
Offense Level 38 and above — Minimum fine of $25,000, maximum fine of $250,000
There are six criminal history categories, each of which is associated with a certain range of points. In deciding a prison sentence, judges will rely on the following table that uses a combination of the current offense level and the alleged offender’s criminal history. The numbers in the ranges below indicate months of imprisonment:
There are three federal judicial districts in Florida and 14 federal courthouses. There are four federal courthouses in the Northern District of Florida, five in Southern District, and five in Middle District. Jacksonville is located in the Middle District of Florida, and the three federal courthouses closest to Duval County are:
Bryan Simpson U.S. Courthouse 300 North Hogan Street Jacksonville, Florida 32202 (904) 549-1900
Golden-Collum Memorial Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse 207 Northwesst Second Street Ocala, Florida 34475 (352) 369-4860
George C. Young U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building 401 West Central Boulevard Orlando, Florida 32801 (407) 835-4200
The U.S. Attorney prosecuting your case may offer a reduced sentence in exchange for your cooperation. If you provide new, credible, and timely information such as the names of people who helped you (called a “safety valve”) or the names of people who committed other crimes (called “substantial assistance”), it could significantly lessen the time you would have to spend in prison.
The problem with providing such information to a prosecutor is that you are not only presenting evidence against yourself, but you might not receive any reduction in your sentence if the information is deemed unhelpful. This type of scenario is precisely why you will want to be represented by an experienced Jacksonville criminal defense attorney.
Roelke Law represents clients in areas like St. Augustine, Orange Park, Middleburg, Hilliard, Green Cove Springs, and Callahan. Bill Roelke has been defending people in state and federal courts throughout Florida for more than 20 years, and he can provide an honest and complete evaluation of your case when you send us an online message or call (904) 354-0333 to set up a free, confidential consultation.
I originally hired a trial attorney for my case who was very expensive. My friend recommended William Roelke and I hired him instead for my case. He reviewed my case carefully and all the presented evidence I provided. What I like about this attorney is prompt responses to my inquires, detailed...
Simir S.
Mr. William Roelke is outstanding. Beyond comparison, marvelous is the display of his craft. His professional demeanor and wonderful insight is amazing. Mr. Roelke has superior character and insight. Should you be in need of services, please don’t hesitate to engage, Mr. William Roelke. Simply The...
Frederick K.
What a pleasure to have Mr. Roelke in your corner! I have been very impressed from my first contact with Bill. He was very prompt to return my initial phone call, and he has always been forthright about our case options, and the advice given. Very calm and highly competent. He accomplished every...
Kevin B.
William Roelke is an experienced, ethical, well prepared, well educated, top notch attorney. I give William Roelke my highest recommendation. He guided our family through a complex set of charges, communicated with us on a regular basis, represented us well and the result....all charges dismissed...
Carol F.
I am very glad to have contacted William Roelke about my case. William was very professional, calm and well-spoken; I felt very comfortable doing business with him and I am more than pleased to say that my charges have been dropped. I highly recommend Roelke Law, William will surely take good care...
Fill out the contact form or call us at (904) 354-0333 to schedule your free case strategy session.
Leave Us a Message
We use cookies to improve the experience of our website. By continuing to use our website, you consent to the use of cookies. To understand more about how we use cookies, please see our Privacy Policy.