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Federal firearms cases may involve alleged gun trafficking, straw purchases, possession by a prohibited person, firearm sales, interstate transport, ammunition, serial numbers, or firearms connected to drug or violent-crime allegations. These cases often involve ATF, search warrants, informants, ballistics, phone records, and interstate evidence.
Lebedin Kofman LLP defends clients facing federal gun trafficking and firearms investigations in EDNY, SDNY, and related courts. The firm focuses on possession, knowledge, intent, interstate nexus, search issues, and whether the government can connect the client to the firearm or alleged trafficking conduct.
What Is at Stake in a Federal Case
Federal firearm allegations can create detention risk, felony exposure, mandatory consecutive penalties in some cases, Guidelines enhancements, immigration consequences, loss of rights, and major sentencing leverage if the case is tied to drugs, robbery, conspiracy, or violence.
Issues That Need Immediate Review
- Whether the government can prove knowing possession or trafficking intent
- Whether the firearm, ammunition, or parts moved in interstate commerce as required
- Whether the client is alleged to be a prohibited person or connected to a straw purchase
- Whether searches of homes, cars, phones, or bags were lawful
- Whether firearm, drug, robbery, or conspiracy allegations are being stacked together
- Whether ballistics, DNA, fingerprints, phone data, or cooperator statements are reliable
Evidence and Procedure We Evaluate
- Search warrants, ATF reports, firearm traces, serial-number records, and purchase records
- DNA, fingerprint, ballistics, ammunition, and chain-of-custody records
- Phone extractions, messages, photos, videos, cloud records, and location data
- Informant, cooperator, undercover, and controlled-purchase evidence
- Vehicle, residence, storage, and package search records
- Guidelines calculations, prior records, release materials, and mitigation evidence
Defense Strategies We Consider
- No knowing possession, control, sale, or transfer
- Unlawful stop, search, seizure, warrant, or device extraction
- Weak interstate-nexus, prohibited-person, or trafficking proof
- Unreliable DNA, fingerprint, ballistics, or cooperator evidence
- No connection between firearm and drug or violent offense
- Suppression, expert review, plea negotiation, trial, or sentencing mitigation
EDNY, SDNY, and New York Federal Court Strategy
Federal firearms cases in EDNY and SDNY often overlap with state gun charges, drug cases, robbery cases, and conspiracy investigations. The defense must account for federal detention practice, mandatory penalty risk, search issues, and whether state and federal charges are being coordinated.
How Lebedin Kofman LLP Helps
The firm evaluates the investigation, charges, discovery, search issues, statements, subpoenas, digital evidence, financial records, witness issues, Guidelines exposure, forfeiture, restitution, immigration consequences, licensing concerns, and trial posture. The defense may involve early intervention, proffer strategy, suppression motions, discovery litigation, expert review, plea negotiation, trial preparation, sentencing mitigation, or appeal-preservation strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I talk to federal agents if I think I can explain?
No one should speak with federal agents, prosecutors, investigators, compliance personnel, or cooperating witnesses about the facts before consulting counsel. Even truthful but incomplete answers can create serious problems in a federal investigation.
Does being under investigation mean I will be arrested?
Not always. Some federal matters begin with subpoenas, target letters, search warrants, interviews, or contact from agents. Early defense work may affect whether charges are filed, what charges are filed, and how the case is positioned if an arrest or indictment follows.
Related Federal Criminal Defense Pages
- Federal Criminal Defense
- EDNY Federal Criminal Defense
- SDNY Federal Criminal Defense
- Federal Conspiracy
- Federal Sentencing
- New York Gun Charges
- Weapon Possession First Degree
- Federal Drug Trafficking
Request a confidential consultation if you received a subpoena, target letter, complaint, indictment, search warrant, or contact from federal agents.