Facing a Federal Charge or Investigation? Don’t Face the Government Alone.
Federal Criminal Defense · Southern District of Florida
If federal agents have contacted you, you’ve received a target letter, or you’ve been indicted, the government has already spent months building its case. Brian Kirlew defends clients against federal prosecution in Miami and throughout the Southern District of Florida — from fraud and drug conspiracy to firearms and RICO.
Confidential consultation. Calls are answered personally — not by an intake mill.
What You Do in the First 48 Hours Can Change Everything
Federal cases are not like state cases. By the time you learn you’re a target, agents from the FBI, DEA, HSI, IRS-CI, or another agency have often been investigating for months — interviewing witnesses, pulling records, and building a file. The single most important decision you can make is to stop talking and get a federal defense lawyer involved before you say anything to anyone.
Do
Stay silent and politely decline to answer questions
Write down everything you remember about the contact
Preserve documents, devices, and messages
Call a federal defense attorney immediately
Don’t
Talk to agents to “clear things up” or “tell your side.”
Delete, hide, or alter anything — that can be a separate crime
Discuss the case with friends, family, or co-workers
Assume cooperating without counsel will help you
Don’t start randomly searching for the crime or using AI to get a hold of your defense; those records are recoverable and can be used against you.
Federal Charges We Defend
The Kirlew Law Firm defends the full range of federal prosecutions in the Southern District of Florida — both the financial and white-collar matters our firm is known for, and the broader set of federal charges that send people to prison every day. We maintain a national federal defense practice from our Miami base.
White Collar & Federal Fraud
Health Care Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1347) — Medicare/Medicaid fraud, kickback, and billing-fraud prosecutions — a top enforcement priority in South Florida.
Wire & Mail Fraud (18 U.S.C. §§ 1341, 1343) — The government’s catch-all fraud charges, used in everything from business disputes to large alleged schemes.
Securities & Investment Fraud (15 U.S.C. § 78j(b)) — Allegations of misrepresentation, insider trading, and Ponzi-type schemes investigated by the SEC and DOJ.
Money Laundering (18 U.S.C. §§ 1956, 1957) — Charges that frequently attach to fraud or drug cases and carry heavy additional exposure.
RICO & Conspiracy (18 U.S.C. §§ 1962, 371) — Racketeering and broad conspiracy theories that let the government hold you responsible for others’ conduct.
PPP & COVID-Relief Fraud (18 U.S.C. § 1343) — Pandemic loan and benefit prosecutions still being actively charged across the district.
Tax & Bank Fraud (26 U.S.C. § 7201 / 18 U.S.C. § 1344) — IRS-CI tax evasion and false-return cases, plus bank-fraud and loan-fraud allegations.
Bribery & Public Corruption (18 U.S.C. §§ 201, 666) — Honest-services, bribery, and corruption charges against officials, contractors, and private parties.
Grand Jury Targets & Subpoenas (Pre-Indictment) — Representation for subjects and targets before charges — target letters, subpoenas, and proffers.
Other Federal Charges
Federal Drug Trafficking & Conspiracy (21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 846, 952) — Importation, distribution, and conspiracy charges — often carrying mandatory-minimum sentences driven by drug weight.
Federal Firearms Offenses (18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g), 924(c)) — Felon-in-possession charges and the severe, consecutive penalties of using a firearm during a federal crime.
Hobbs Act Robbery & Carjacking (18 U.S.C. §§ 1951, 2119) — Federal robbery, extortion, and carjacking prosecutions that often stack with firearms counts.
Immigration Offenses (8 U.S.C. §§ 1326, 1324) — Illegal reentry, alien smuggling, and harboring charges prosecuted aggressively along the South Florida ports of entry
Federal Sex & Internet Offenses (Title 18, Chapter 110) — Serious internet-based and federal sex-offense allegations that demand experienced, discreet trial counsel.
Federal Detention & Bond Hearings (18 U.S.C. § 3142) — Fighting pretrial detention so you can prepare your defense from home, not a federal facility.
Sentencing & Guidelines Advocacy (U.S.S.G.) — Mitigation, departures, and variances under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines to fight for the lowest possible sentence.
Federal Court Is a Different Arena
More than 90% of federal defendants are convicted, and the system is built to move quickly toward that outcome. Defending a federal case takes a lawyer who knows how it actually works.
1. Trial Experience the Government Respects
Prosecutors negotiate differently with a lawyer who has tried more than 65 cases to verdict. Brian often has more trial experience than the actual prosecutors or judges hearing the case. A defense that can credibly go to trial is a defense that earns better outcomes in the form of a plea deal.
2. We Engage Before Charges Are Filed
The best result is often the case that never gets indicted. When we’re involved during the investigation, we can challenge the government’s theory while it’s still forming.
3. You Work Directly With Brian
Federal clients deserve their lawyer’s personal attention. Calls are returned the same day, and you are never handed off to a rotating cast of associates. Brian is the lawyer you hired, and he is the lawyer who will personally serve you.
4. Strategy Built for the Sentence, Not Just the Verdict
In federal court, the Guidelines and mandatory minimums often matter as much as guilt or innocence. We fight on both fronts from day one.
What Federal Clients Say
★★★★★
“About 5 years ago, I had some legal issues and was introduced to Mr. Brian Kirlew. The result of that first case was amazing — he got the charge completely dismissed. I recently caught a federal charge, and it was looking very dim for me. Brian took what was looking like a 2-year minimum mandatory and got me sentenced to 10 months, with my second charge dropped, so I get to go home to my family. His knowledge of federal law makes him the best, and you can see he truly cares for his clients.”
Pete Cohen
★★★★★
“My son worked with Mr. Kirlew and had an extremely professional experience. He kept us informed throughout the entire process and always answered our questions. If we ever called and he wasn’t there, he got back to us the same day. He developed a great strategy for us, and I continue to have my son with me to this day. Thank you again, Mr. Kirlew.”
Martha Garcia
★★★★★
“By far the best lawyer I’ve ever had. Brian made sure I got the exact result I wanted from my situation. Can’t thank him and his team enough for all their efforts.”
Not necessarily. A target letter means the government believes you may be charged, but it is also an opportunity — the time to get counsel involved before any indictment, when there may still be room to influence whether and what charges are filed. The worst response is to do nothing or to call the prosecutor yourself.
No — not without a lawyer. Agents are trained interviewers, and “just talking” is how many cases are built. You can be charged with a separate crime for a false statement even if you are innocent of the underlying conduct. You have the right to decline and to have counsel present.
Federal cases are investigated by federal agencies, prosecuted by U.S. Attorneys, and sentenced under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and mandatory minimums. They tend to involve more resources, longer investigations, and stiffer potential sentences than comparable state charges — which is why federal-specific experience matters.
Yes, we do. The firm’s core federal practice is in the Southern District of Florida, which covers Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, and Monroe counties. We maintain a federal practice in Central and North Florida as well. If your matter is in another district, call, and we can talk through it.
The initial phone consultation is confidential. Call (866) 797-0612 and you’ll speak with someone who can tell you quickly whether and how we can help.
The Government Already Started. You Should Too.
Every day you wait is a day the government keeps building. Call now for a free, confidential conversation about your federal case.
Call (866) 797-0612
Request a Consultation
Contact Us Today for a
Phone Consultation
We’ll set up a phone consultation to get to know you and your circumstances.
This website may be considered attorney advertising. The testimonials and case descriptions on this page are based on the experiences of past clients and describe results obtained in specific matters. They are not a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. The outcome of any individual case depends on a variety of factors unique to that case; prospective clients may not obtain the same or similar results. The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm or submitting information through this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. Hiring a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertising.
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My son worked with Mr. Kirlew and had an extremely professional experience. Mr. Kirlew kept us informed throughout the entire process and always answered any questions we had. If we ever called and he wasn’t there he would get back to us on the same day. He developed a great…
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ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
This website may be considered attorney advertising. The testimonials and case descriptions on this page are based on the experiences of past clients and describe results obtained in specific matters. They are not a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. The outcome of any individual case depends on a variety of factors unique to that case; prospective clients may not obtain the same or similar results. The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Contacting the firm or submitting information through this website does not create an attorney-client relationship. Hiring a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertising.
Committed to aggressive, personalized legal representation for criminal defense, white collar, federal, and family law matters throughout Florida since 2012.
