The Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center is a federal facility where defendants charged with federal crimes are held pending trial, or to serve short federal sentences if already convicted. If you have a loved one held in this facility, they are likely facing potentially serious offenses with the possibility of extended prison time if convicted. What steps can you take to get them the help they need, both now and in the days ahead?

Contact a Los Angeles Criminal Federal Offense Attorney Immediately

When your loved one is held in jail after an arrest or awaiting trial, your first instinct may be to try to raise bail and get them out. But that typically means waiting until bail is set—and if the bail is too high or the judge denies bail, your loved one may be in for an extended stay, possibly until the trial and beyond. For that reason, your first step before anything else should be to reach out to an attorney who has experience in federal criminal defense in Los Angeles—preferably as soon as the arrest has been made. Getting an experienced attorney involved now gives your loved one a much better chance at obtaining a pre-trial release because that attorney knows how to negotiate for reduced bail or even a recognizance release.

The sooner you involve an attorney, the better your chances your loved one won't be spending the pre-trial period in jail. Involving an attorney early on gives you more time to craft a compelling defense for your loved one if the case goes to trial—and that's important because the prosecution may have already been building their case against your loved one for months.

Gather Documentation and Evidence

Another way to help your loved one is to help the defense attorney gather all relevant documentation and evidence that might help the case. The attorney may ask for specific things, but you can start gathering some documentation right away, including:

• A copy of any warrants that were served (including search warrants and arrest warrants)
• Name and contact information of the arresting agent(s).
• Names and contact information of any witnesses who may help prove your loved one's innocence
• Names/contact information of any witnesses to the arrest itself (in case the agents failed to follow protocol or afford due process)
• Your own written version of what happened during the arrest and what you know about the validity of the charges. (Writing these things down now will help you recall important details later.)

Your loved one's defense attorney will have more specific instructions, but the sooner you collect this information, the quicker the attorney can begin using it to develop an effective defense strategy.

The attorneys at the Sigal Law Group have extensive experience with the L.A. Metropolitan Detention Center and with federal criminal cases in Los Angeles. We will work quickly and efficiently to help your loved one procure a pre-trial release, and we'll work aggressively to protect their rights and ensure the best possible outcome for the case. Call us today at (818) 325-0570 for a free consultation.