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Federal Criminal Defense Attorney — Michigan | State & Federal Cases

When your freedom is on the line, you need more than a lawyer. You need a trial attorney who has spent over 25 years in the trenches of Michigan's federal and state courtrooms — someone who knows the judges, knows the prosecutors, and knows how to win.

I'm Ronnie E. Cromer, Jr., founding attorney of The Cromer Law Group PLLC. I personally handle every criminal defense case my firm takes on. When you hire me, you get me — not an associate, not a paralegal, not a hand-off. I have defended clients facing the most serious federal and state criminal charges throughout Detroit, Southfield, and across Michigan, including cases in both the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan.

If you or a loved one has been arrested, indicted, or is under federal investigation, call me now at (248) 809-6790. Every hour without experienced counsel is an hour the government is building its case against you.

Federal Criminal Defense

Federal cases are fundamentally different from state prosecutions. The resources of the federal government — the FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS, and Homeland Security — are vast. Federal sentencing guidelines are harsh. Mandatory minimum sentences can mean decades in prison. And unlike state court, the federal conviction rate exceeds 90%.

That is why choosing the right federal criminal defense attorney is the most important decision you will make. I have represented clients in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, and before federal magistrate judges across the state. I understand how federal prosecutors build their cases, and I know how to dismantle them.

Federal Charges I Defend

  • Drug trafficking and conspiracy (21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 846)

  • Sex trafficking and sexual exploitation (18 U.S.C. §§ 1591, 2251, 2252)

  • Firearm offenses, including § 924(c) and felon-in-possession

  • Wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering

  • RICO and organized crime charges

  • Public corruption and bribery

  • Child sexually abusive material / child pornography (18 U.S.C. § 2252A; MCL 750.145c)

  • Federal appeals, habeas corpus petitions, and post-conviction relief

  • Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) and career offender designations

Federal Sentencing

Federal sentencing is governed by the United States Sentencing Guidelines (USSG) and the factors set forth in 18 U.S.C. § 3553(a). Many federal offenses carry mandatory minimum prison sentences that the judge cannot go below absent specific circumstances. I have extensive experience challenging sentencing enhancements, arguing for variances and departures, and presenting compelling mitigation evidence to achieve the lowest possible sentence for my clients.

Michigan State Criminal Defense

In addition to my federal practice, I defend clients facing serious state criminal charges in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb County Circuit Courts and in district courts throughout Metro Detroit and Michigan.

State Charges I Defend

  • Homicide, manslaughter, and assaultive offenses

  • Drug manufacturing, delivery, and possession

  • Criminal sexual conduct (all degrees)

  • Armed robbery and carjacking

  • Domestic violence and stalking

  • Theft, fraud, and embezzlement

  • Weapons offenses

  • Probation and parole violations

How I Defend Your Case

Every case I take receives a defense built on three pillars: constitutional challenges, relentless preparation, and strategic advocacy.

Constitutional Challenges. I aggressively assert your rights under the Fourth Amendment (unlawful search and seizure), the Fifth Amendment (Miranda protections and due process), and the Sixth Amendment (right to counsel and confrontation). If law enforcement violated your rights during the investigation, arrest, or interrogation, I will move to suppress that evidence and fight for a dismissal.

Relentless Preparation. I personally review every page of discovery, listen to every recording, and analyze every piece of evidence the government intends to use against you. In federal cases involving voluminous electronic discovery — hundreds of recorded calls, body camera footage, cell site location data, financial records — I work with forensic experts, investigators, and digital analysts to identify weaknesses in the government's case that other attorneys miss.

Strategic Advocacy. Not every case should go to trial, and not every case should be resolved by plea. My approach is to prepare every case as though it is going to trial — because that preparation is what gives you leverage, whether we are negotiating with prosecutors, arguing motions before the judge, or presenting your defense to a jury.

Representative Experience

My track record speaks for itself. Here is a sample of the results I have achieved for clients:

  • Lead counsel in a 100-day trial involving the Wayne County budget — a landmark case addressing municipal accountability and government transparency that set statewide precedent and demonstrated my ability to manage complex, high-stakes litigation over extended proceedings

  • Secured a $1.33 million judgment in a juvenile police misconduct case — one of the region's most significant civil rights judgments involving a minor, brought under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for excessive force

  • Represented a Detroit man shot in the chest with an AR-15 by a federal agent while walking unarmed from his home — filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging excessive force and obtained a confidential settlement holding the agency accountable

  • Achieved full exoneration for a wrongfully charged client after exposing corruption within Detroit's Fourth Precinct, leading to reforms and media attention surrounding police accountability

  • Secured compensation for a client wrongfully imprisoned for 13 years — held the State of Michigan and local authorities accountable for investigative misconduct and due-process violations

  • Successfully defended clients facing mandatory life sentences on federal sex trafficking charges involving complex multi-count indictments, voluminous electronic discovery (500+ recorded jail calls, body camera footage, Jencks material), and sophisticated sentencing guideline calculations including ACCA predicate analysis

  • Won a jury trial verdict against a major auto insurer for bad-faith denial of a valid claim, plus court-ordered sanctions and attorney fees — demonstrating my willingness to take any case to trial when the other side refuses to do the right thing

  • Resolved a federal §1983 excessive force case involving an elderly grandmother body-slammed during a traffic stop — confidential settlement obtained after discovery revealed serious officer misconduct and departmental training deficiencies

Why Clients Choose Me Over Larger Firms

When you face criminal charges, you have a choice: hire a large firm where your case gets handed to a junior associate, or hire an experienced trial attorney who personally handles your defense from start to finish.

At The Cromer Law Group, you get:

  • Over 25 years of trial experience in Michigan's federal and state courts

  • Personal attention from a senior trial attorney — I handle every aspect of your case myself

  • Deep familiarity with the judges, prosecutors, and court procedures in the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan and in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb County courts

  • Strategic use of expert witnesses, investigators, and forensic specialists to build the strongest possible defense

  • Proven results in high-stakes cases — from 100-day trials to federal sex trafficking defenses to million-dollar civil rights judgments

  • 24/7 availability — because arrests and federal investigations do not wait for business hours

Your Freedom Cannot Wait

If you or a loved one is facing federal or state criminal charges in Michigan, every day without experienced defense counsel is a day the government is building its case against you.

Call (248) 809-6790 now for a confidential strategy session. I will personally review your case and give you an honest assessment of where you stand and what can be done. No pressure. No obligation. Just straight answers from an attorney who has been doing this for over 25 years.

I defend clients throughout Michigan, including Detroit, Southfield, Farmington Hills, Troy, Royal Oak, Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan.

Available 24/7. Call now: (248) 809-6790

This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique, and prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. Reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.

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