Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney — Eagle Rock Defense Group
We Know You. We Got This.
When you or your business becomes the target of a high-stakes state or federal investigation, the decisions you make in the opening hours will dictate the trajectory of your future. Navigating complex criminal allegations without dedicated, sophisticated advocacy leaves your reputation, assets, and freedom vulnerable to the unlimited resources of government prosecutors.
At Eagle Rock Defense Group, your defense is not passed off to associates or paralegals. It is built, managed, and executed personally by John Rockwell—a veteran trial attorney with over 21 years of elite legal experience. We handle serious state and federal felonies with absolute discretion, sophisticated strategy, and an unyielding commitment to protecting what you have spent a lifetime building – your freedom and reputation.
Our Promise
Clients that walk through our doors are going through difficulties that are overwhelming and often life-changing. That matters to us.
It matters so much that we make it a priority that each case has a catered, discreet, and personalized experience. Direct access to your attorney means you’re not going to fall through the cracks. We’re with you every step of the way.
No matter how daunting your fight may seem, Eagle Rock Defense Group will stand with you. When It Matters Most.
After 21 years of practicing law as a former prosecutor and at large firms, seasoned trial attorney John Rockwell is taking a new approach to the established defense law model. He understands exactly how state and federal prosecutors construct files, leverage evidence, and where their cases are structurally vulnerable.
Many criminal defense lawyers restrict their practice to local state courts. John is fully admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, allowing him to seamlessly defend clients against complex federal indictments and grand jury investigations in all of Northeast Florida.
We intentionally restrict our caseload to maintain an elite standard of representation. We are not a volume-based practice. When you retain this firm, you secure direct, unhindered access to John Rockwell and the hyper-focused, personal attention your case requires.
Our Expertise
Our practice is exclusively tailored to defending individuals, business owners, corporate executives, and professionals facing severe legal and professional jeopardy:
Strategic counsel for federal drug and fraud conspiracies, firearms charges, healthcare fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, tax fraud, and federal criminal investigations.
Rigorous evidentiary challenges to DUI, DUI Manslaughter, Criminal Refusal charges and driver’s license suspensions.
High-caliber courtroom advocacy for individuals facing first-degree murder / death penalty eligible charges and all other homicide and serious gun crime charges and investigations.
Boutique-level legal representation for individuals facing drug trafficking, RICO, wiretap, and severe drug charges and narcotics investigations.
You are coming to us during the most grueling and stressful time of your life. We will be your rock, standing up for you against your accusers and will pull no punches when it comes to your defense.
FAQs About Criminal Defense in Jacksonville
What should I do immediately if I am contacted by federal investigators or Jacksonville law enforcement?
If you are approached by law enforcement officers or federal agents, politely but firmly state that you choose to remain silent and wish to speak with your private counsel before answering any questions. Do not attempt to explain your innocence or provide documentation without an attorney present; the government routinely uses casual pre-arrest statements to build their case against you.
What is the difference between state and federal criminal charges in Florida?
State criminal charges involve violations of Florida statutes, are investigated by local entities like the Jacksonville and St. Johns County Sheriff’s Offices, and are prosecuted by the local State Attorney’s Office. Federal charges involve violations of United States federal laws, are investigated by powerful national agencies (FBI, DEA, IRS), and follow strict, severe federal sentencing guidelines that require an attorney specifically admitted to practice in federal court.
When does a state crime cross over into a federal investigation?
A criminal matter typically crosses into federal jurisdiction if the alleged offense occurs across state lines, involves federal property, impacts interstate commerce, or violates specific United States federal statutes. Common examples include mail fraud, wire fraud, healthcare fraud, and financial crimes involving federally insured banking institutions.
How soon should I hire a private defense attorney if I suspect I am under investigation?
You should retain experienced private counsel the moment you suspect you are a “target” or “subject” of an investigation. Early intervention allows your legal counsel to interface directly with investigators, control the flow of information, protect your constitutional rights, and potentially prevent formal charges from ever being filed.
Can a defense lawyer stop formal criminal charges from being filed in Jacksonville?
While no attorney can guarantee a specific pre-trial resolution, retaining counsel during the investigative phase allows your attorney to present exculpatory evidence or mitigating factors to the prosecution early. This proactive approach can convince the State Attorney’s Office or U.S. Attorney’s Office to reduce the severity of the charges or decline formal prosecution entirely.
What happens if law enforcement officers violated my constitutional rights during an arrest?
If investigators conducted an unlawful search and seizure or failed to read your Miranda rights during a custodial interrogation, your defense attorney can file a motion to suppress. If the court grants the motion, the illegally obtained evidence is completely barred from being used against you at trial.
Will I have to go to trial for a felony charge in Duval County?
Not all felony charges result in a jury trial. Many high-profile cases are resolved beforehand through strategic motions or structured negotiations. However, your defense attorney must prepare every single file with exhaustive trial readiness as prosecutors only offer favorable resolutions when they respect the defense’s willingness to fight in open court.
What are sentencing guidelines and the Criminal Punishment Code?
Every felony charge has a numeric level and point value. Your prior history is scored along with your current charge(s). Additional points can be added if you were on probation, pretrial release, if a person was injured, if a firearm was used in the commission of a crime, etc. The lowest permissible sentence is based on a computation of these numbers/points. There are sentencing guidelines in both state and federal court. It is extremely important to hire an experienced, competent lawyer who is well versed in the sentencing guidelines calculation, objection process, and sentencing procedures.
My lawyer was able to get my criminal charges dismissed in court. Does that mean that my record is "wiped clean" from these charges and the arrest?
No. A common misconception in criminal law is that when criminal charges are dropped or dismissed that automatically means that the person’s record is sealed or expunged. In most cases, even if your charges are dismissed or dropped by the State Attorney’s Office, or you received a withhold of adjudication and were not convicted of a crime, everything such as your arrest and booking report and all the information about the case on the clerk of court website is still public record that is accessible to anyone unless you take the extra step of getting your case sealed or expunged.
What is the difference between having my criminal charges sealed and having my charges expunged?
In Florida, if the outcome of your criminal case results in what is called a withhold of adjudication (meaning you did not actually get convicted of the criminal offense), and assuming you do not have any prior criminal convictions on your record from anywhere at any time after you turned 18 years old, you are legally eligible to seal your case. Certain types of crimes cannot be sealed even if you receive a withhold of adjudication (such as Domestic Battery). Sealing removes from the public eye any information about your case. The “physical” file is still retained by the clerk of court.
If the outcome of your case resulted in a dismissal of all charges or the prosecutor dropped all charges against you, and you do not have any prior criminal convictions on your record from anywhere at any time after you turned 18 years old, you are legally eligible to expunge your case no matter what the charge or charges were. Expunging a case means that the “physical” file is destroyed by the clerk of court, all information is removed from the public eye, and, you are generally lawfully allowed to answer “no” on any job, housing, or other application that asks if you have been arrested for a crime before.
If I have a valid Medical Marijuana card, does that mean I can't be arrested if I operate a motor vehicle, boat, or other mode of transportation while under the influence and my normal faculties are impaired?
While driving under the influence of marijuana (just like driving after consuming alcohol) is not in and of itself criminal, if your normal faculties are impaired then you are at risk for an arrest for DUI and being asked to provide a urine sample by police to determine if any controlled substance was in your urine. A refusal to do so, even the first time, is now a criminal offense and also has driver’s license suspension consequences.
If I am sentenced to prison or jail time for my charges, am I eligible for early release? How much of my sentence do I actually have to serve in Florida?
In Florida, if you are convicted of a crime that does not carry a minimum mandatory sentence under Florida Statute 775, in most circumstances you only have to serve 85% of your actual sentence as long as you have good behavior and earn gain time. Gain time is a certain number of days knocked off your sentence each month to reward inmates for good behavior.
What are Field Sobriety Exercises and do I have to consent to them in Florida if I get pulled over and am investigated by the police for DUI? What if I take them and pass them?
Field Sobriety Exercises, sometimes called Field Sobriety Tests, are a series of physical tests police use to determine (in their minds) whether a driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol to the extent that their normal faculties are impaired. Field Sobriety Exercises are not mandatory under Florida law. A refusal to perform them does not (in and of itself) result in a separate criminal charge or an administrative license suspension unlike a refusal to submit to a lawful breath or urine sample after being arrested for DUI. It is important to note that Field Sobriety Exercises are not “pass or fail”. The police typically look at the totality of the performance and make their decision from there. It is typically not the decision the driver wants.
Don't Wait for the Government to Build Their Case. Start Building Your Defense Today.
You are coming to us during the most grueling and stressful time of your life. We will be your rock, standing up for you against your accusers and will pull no punches when it comes to your defense. When It Matters Most.