White Collar Advice Blog
First Step Act Time Credits: How to Earn Maximum Days Off Your Sentence
The First Step Act allows eligible federal prisoners to earn time credits toward early release by participating in evidence-based recidivism reduction programs
What Happens at a Federal Sentencing Hearing — and What Comes After | Chapter 9
What Happens at Sentencing – and What Comes Next The sentencing hearing is the moment most defendants have been dreading since the
14 Sentencing Mistakes That Add Years to Your Sentence
When I walked into my first federal sentencing hearing in 2009, I thought I was watching a one-off. Instead, I watched a
Problems in the PSR: Four Cases That Show What Errors Cost — and How to Prevent Them | Chapter 8
A doctor in Texas was arrested for healthcare fraud while legally carrying a firearm — something Texas law fully permits. The gun
The Presentence Investigation Report: What It Contains, How It’s Prepared, and Why It Follows You Through Everything | Chapter 7
After a conviction or guilty plea, the most important document in the entire case is not the indictment, the plea agreement, or
Federal Sentencing Preparation | 12-2-25
Why Federal Sentencing Preparation Matters Most people under investigation wait. They wait for discovery. They wait for updates. They wait for their
The White Collar Advice blog helps people under investigation or facing federal sentencing understand the system, avoid mistakes that lead to longer sentences or tougher prison placements, and prepare for prison and reentry.
People under federal investigation, facing sentencing, or preparing for prison who want to build a documented record that shows they are different from the government’s one-sided version of events. Family members who want to understand the process and help a loved one prepare should read it too.
Yes. The blog is based on the combined experience of our team at White Collar Advice, including my time in the system, Michael Santos’s 26 years in federal prison, and the work we’ve done with thousands of people going through investigations, sentencing, and reentry. Everything comes from what we’ve seen and documented over many years.
These blogs teach you how to create assets that do not currently exist to influence cynical stakeholders, like a Federal Judge or Probation Officer.