Criminal Defense Lawyer in Oklahoma
Team Lead
Former D.A.
Former U.S. Attorney
Getting arrested and charged with a criminal offense in Oklahoma is a life-altering event. You could be facing years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines if you are not careful and if you do not vigorously challenge the allegations against you.
The Criminal Defense Firm legally represents defendants and criminal suspects through all stages of the criminal justice system in Oklahoma, up to and including any appeals that are necessary to preserve your future and protect your rights.
The Criminal Defense Firm: Experienced Lawyers Representing Oklahoma Defendants
The attorneys at The Criminal Defense Firm all have one thing in common: They have extensive experience representing criminal defendants. Unlike other law firms, The Criminal Defense Firm exclusively employs senior-level attorneys who have decades of defense experience to draw on for your case. Many of our lawyers came to the firm after long careers as federal prosecutors and investigators at some of the most powerful law enforcement agencies in the world, including the:
- U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The extensive experience that we bring to your case does not just mean that you can count on representation by lawyers who have seen cases similar to yours, before: It also means that any communication you have with The Criminal Defense Firm will go straight to a senior lawyer on your case and that all of the legal work done for you comes from an attorney who knows what they are doing.
This is because we only employ senior-level attorneys. There are no junior associates, paralegals, or legal secretaries at The Criminal Defense Firm. It is common practice for other law firms to entice clients to hire them for the experience and reputations of the senior-most associates and partners, only to pass their case on to junior associates who are only occasionally supervised.
That is not how we work at The Criminal Defense Firm. We recognize that you came to us because of our senior lawyers. You should get represented by them, not by someone who just graduated law school.
Put our highly experienced team on your side
Brian J. Kuester
Former U.S. Attorney
Former DA
Amanda Marshall
Former U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Joe Brown
Former U.S. Attorney
& Former District Attorney
Local Counsel
John W. Sellers
Former Senior Trial Attorney
U.S. Department of Justice
Local Counsel
Linda Julin McNamara
Former Chief, DOJ Appeals
Local Counsel
Joanne Fine DeLena
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney
Local Counsel
Aaron L. Wiley
Former Federal Prosecutor
Local Counsel
Roger Bach
Former Special Agent (OIG)
Chris Quick
Former Special Agent (FBI & IRS-CI)
Kevin M. Sheridan
Former Special Agent (FBI)
Ray Yuen
Former Supervisory Special Agent (FBI)
Dennis A. Wichern
Former Special Agent-in-Charge (DEA)
Criminal Cases We Handle
Because we have been defending clients in Oklahoma for so many years, our roster of attorneys have handled a wide variety of criminal offenses, from relatively minor allegations to those that carry the death penalty.
Here are just a few of the criminal cases that the lawyers at The Criminal Defense Firm handle in the state of Oklahoma.
Drug Offenses
Drug offenses span a wide range of severities, from mere possession of trace amounts of marijuana to manufacturing or distributing massive amounts of more serious drugs. Generally, though, you can face the following drug charges in Oklahoma, in increasing severity:
- Drug possession
- Prescription drug charges
- Drug trafficking, including internet drug trafficking
- Drug possession with the intent to distribute
- Drug manufacture or importation
However, the amount and the type of controlled substance will make a huge difference in the potential penalties that come with a conviction. In some cases you may be facing decades in prison, especially if you already have a drug conviction on your criminal history.
Property Crimes
Property crimes are those that focus on taking someone else’s belongings. A few examples include:
- Theft
- Trespassing
- Burglary, whether it be home burglary, business burglary, or vehicle burglary
- Robbery
- Shoplifting
The amount of money or property that was allegedly stolen can drastically alter the severity of the offense. Minor cases of shoplifting are generally misdemeanors that carry less than a year in jail. Theft crimes involving massive amounts of money will carry longer prison sentences and far higher fines, as well as restitution payments.
Violent Crimes
Violent crimes are those that physically harm someone else. Examples in Oklahoma include:
The injuries that you allegedly inflicted and the level of intent that you had will drive the seriousness of the charges that get filed. Intentionally killing someone can carry the death penalty in Oklahoma.
White Collar Crimes
White collar crimes are non-violent and financially motivated. They generally involve fraud of some kind. Common examples in Oklahoma are:
- Healthcare fraud
- Securities fraud
- Embezzlement
- Counterfeiting
- Bribery
- Money laundering
- Tax evasion
- Insurance fraud
- Mail and wire fraud
Just like with property crimes, the amount at issue can drive the penalties that come with a conviction. White collar offenses frequently carry massive criminal fines that can easily run over $100,000.
Sex Offenses
Sex offenses are those that are sexually motivated. The most severe of them involve a level of violence, as well. Some examples are:
Convictions for these offenses can carry decades in jail as well as lifetime sex offender registration once your sentence is complete.
Legal Defense Strategies
Given the wide range of criminal offenses that can be committed in Oklahoma, it should not be surprising that there are also numerous potential legal defense strategies, as well. Just a few of the most common lines of defense that the lawyers at The Criminal Defense Firm have used on behalf of their clients in Oklahoma have included:
- Illegal search and seizure – The police violated your civil rights under the Fourth Amendment and the fruits of their overreach should be excluded from your trial
- Entrapment – Police coerced you into committing an offense that you would not have committed without their help and encouragement
- Lack of intent – You did not have the requisite level of intent to commit the crime, whether it be intentional, knowing, or merely reckless conduct
- Factual defenses – Gaps in the factual circumstances presented by the prosecutor leave open reasonable doubts as to whether you committed the crime charged
These are just a couple of the defense strategies that we have used in the past. Depending on the circumstances in your case, the optimal defense strategy might be something different.
Frequently Asked Questions About Oklahoma’s Criminal Justice System and How The Criminal Defense Firm Maneuvers Through It
What is the Difference Between a Misdemeanor and a Felony?
Misdemeanors and felonies are both types of criminal offenses. Misdemeanors are less severe than felonies. Generally, the line between the two is whether a conviction could carry more than a year in jail – felonies can come with more than a year, while misdemeanors cannot.
Even though misdemeanors are relatively light, they are far from trivial. A conviction will put a blemish on your criminal background, which can become an obstacle for the rest of your life.
What are the Potential Penalties of a Conviction?
Criminal convictions come with several different types of penalties.
First, there is confinement. Misdemeanor offenses generally come with less than a year in county jail. Felonies carry longer than a year in state prison.
Second, there are financial repercussions. These include:
- Criminal fines
- Restitution payments
- Disgorgement of illegally-obtained funds or other assets
- Criminal forfeiture
These financial penalties can be extremely high, especially for white collar offenses.
Third, there are ongoing restraints and obligations to meet, such as:
- Probation
- Completing a drug or alcohol treatment course
- Community service
Finally, there are the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction. These come from outside the criminal justice system and center on your criminal history. They frequently include:
- Difficulty finding a job with a prior conviction
- Losing professional licenses or certifications or becoming ineligible to get one
- Loss of driving privileges
- Loss of housing or employment while serving your sentence
- Loss other civil rights, like your right to own a firearm or your right to vote
Many people overlook these collateral consequences of a conviction.
What are Some of Your Success Stories?
The Criminal Defense Firm has a long track record of successes in Oklahoma courtrooms, both state and federal. With our insightful strategies and aggressive legal defense, we have been able to:
- Get jury acquittals after a criminal trial
- Persuade the prosecutors on our client’s case to drop the charges during the pre-trial process after pointing out the weaknesses in their claims against them
- Convince a grand jury to not indict our clients
- Intervene in criminal investigations into our clients and show investigators why filing a criminal charge was not worth their time
Even in the most difficult of cases, we have been able to protect our clients from the full effects of a criminal conviction. By advocating for them during the sentencing hearing after a conviction, we have been able to drastically reduce the penalties that the court has imposed on many of our clients, effectively preserving their future for them.
Why Doesn't The Criminal Defense Firm Call Itself the Best in Oklahoma?
While our court successes speak volumes, we prefer to let the testimonials of our happy clients do that sort of talking for us.
Reach Out to The Criminal Defense Firm for Help in Oklahoma
If you have been accused of a crime in Oklahoma, you need effective legal representation to prevent the charges from turning into a conviction. Reach out to The Criminal Defense Firm. Our senior attorneys have helped numerous criminal suspects and defendants invoke their rights to protect their future.
Contact us online or call our law office at (866) 603-4540.