Practice Area

Criminal defense.
Federal and state.

From federal indictments tried in Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. to state charges in every Allegheny County courtroom — we defend the cases that follow a person for life.

Section I · Federal

Most Pittsburgh defense attorneys are not bar-admitted in federal court. We are.

Federal bar admissions

Where we can stand up and try your case.

—U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
—U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
—U.S. District Court, District of Columbia
—U.S. Court of Appeals, District of Columbia
—Pennsylvania Supreme Court

What we handle

Federal practice areas.

Drug Conspiracy

Multi-defendant federal narcotics indictments under 21 U.S.C. § 841 and § 846. Trafficking, distribution, and continuing criminal enterprise charges.

White-Collar & Fraud

Wire fraud, mail fraud, healthcare fraud, securities fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering. Both targets and witnesses in federal grand-jury investigations.

Firearms Offenses

Felon-in-possession, straw purchases, ATF investigations, and 924(c) enhancements stacked onto drug or violent crime indictments.

Trafficking

Federal human-trafficking, sex-trafficking, and transportation offenses charged under Title 18.

Federal Appeals

Direct appeals to the Third Circuit and the D.C. Circuit. Sentencing-guideline challenges, suppression appeals, and post-conviction motions under § 2255.

Pre-Indictment Representation

Target-letter response, proffer-session strategy, and grand-jury negotiation before charges are ever filed.

Lead federal counsel

Komron Jon Maknoon

Sole or lead counsel in more than 50 jury trials since 2003. Federal trials in the Western District of Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. Stetson University White Collar Criminal Defense College, 2014.

Full biography →

Section II · State

We have an attorney who spent two years prosecuting these exact charges. Now she defends them.

Lead state counsel

Stephanie Eshenbaugh

Of Counsel · Former Allegheny County prosecutor

Former Allegheny County prosecutor. Now she fights for the other side.

After passing the Pennsylvania bar, Stephanie spent more than two years at the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office prosecuting hundreds of cases — from DUIs to aggravated assault. She joined Maknoon & Associates in 2022 because of the firm's reputation for zealously fighting cases.