Federal Drug Trafficking

When addressed on a federal level, drug trafficking cases present specific dangers to a defendant. When they conduct their investigation and gather evidence against a defendant, federal investigators do not stop at trafficking charges alone. They often pursue additional charges involving money laundering, racketeering, conspiracy and related offenses that may be charged in conjunction with drug trafficking. This will serve to greatly enhance the potential penalties that a defendant faces under Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

The earlier you involve an attorney to address an investigation or indictment regarding drug trafficking, the better. You will need aggressive defense counsel if you are to have any chance of saving your property and assets from forfeiture and avoiding time in federal prison. As a Los Angeles federal drug trafficking defense lawyer with more than 20 years of experience, I represent clients in the greater LA area and in all federal district courts throughout the U.S. I offer the level of hard-hitting legal counsel that makes federal prosecutors take notice. I am also a skilled negotiator who works to help my clients avoid imprisonment or seeks a dismissal of all charges whenever possible.

Drug Trafficking and Marijuana

Drug trafficking is a serious crime in the United States. Unlike lesser offenses (such as marijuana possession), the federal law has little patience with crimes related to manufacturing and distributing illegal or controlled substances. In California, an individual convicted of trafficking marijuana can be sentenced to one year in prison for distributing only a few pounds of the drug. Depending on the amount of marijuana that the individual planned to distribute, he/she may be sentenced to three years in prison and have to pay a $15,000 fine.

If convicted of trafficking more than 50 pounds of marijuana (or more than 51 marijuana plants), individuals may be subject to a fine of at least $50,000. Generally speaking, the fine with equal an amount sufficient to elimination the defendant’s ability to continue trafficking the drug. Additionally, marijuana trafficking cases of this magnitude may result in five or more years of incarceration in a federal prison. If you have been accused of trafficking marijuana or another illegal substance, contact my office as soon as possible.

Aggressive Defense for Drug Trafficking Charges

One particular obstacle that federal drug trafficking charges present is the ability of the federal government to seize property and assets it considers have been obtained from illegal trafficking activity. Once an indictment has been handed down, criminal forfeiture proceedings may be initiated. You need a lawyer who understands how to address asset forfeiture as well as the federal charges you are facing that are placing you at risk of imprisonment and other harsh penalties. The federal government will try to take your assets so you cannot even afford legal representation. Do not let this happen to you.