[njsteve]

That sounds like the logical reason. Usually the venue for the prosecution is where the bad guy will get the most time. If that is in the State courts then that is most likely why the Feds deferred prosecution to the State. Theoretically, they could prosecute in both Fed and State courts as there is no double jeopardy under the Fed and State stautues (while similar crimes, they are not entirely the same in each venue) but that would be a waste of manpower and taxpayers' $$$.