Orlando Drug Trafficking Lawyer

Simply speaking, the criminal act of drug trafficking is most commonly considered to be a federal crime as it crosses state borders most of the time. This is not to say that it is not considered by the state law. In fact, according to §893.135 of the Florida Statutes, it made a criminal act to traffic drugs or to be in a conspiracy to commit such a drug crime. For example, in the state of Florida, should you be found to be trafficking over 25 pounds of marijuana, you will be guilty of a first-degree felony; if it is between 25 and 2,000 points, you will face criminal penalties that include three years of imprisonment and a monetary fine of up to $25,000. The penalties laid out by Florida law differentiate depending on the drug itself that is being trafficked and the amount.

Do I Need an Orlando Drug Trafficking Attorney?

The federal law also takes an active role in laying down criminal law in regards to drug trafficking. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is heavily involved in investigating and prosecuting those that they believe have been criminally charged with trafficking drugs across state lines and perhaps even internationally. Similar to state law, federal law will widely depend on the extenuating factors of the arrest; for example, the type and amount of the drug. Some examples of penalties associated with federal drug trafficking include the following:

• Cocaine (Schedule II) – For trafficking between 500 and 4999 gm, the penalties include incarceration between 5 and 40 years, along with a maximum monetary fine of $5 million if the defendant is an individual – more if not.
• Heroin (Schedule I) – For trafficking between 100 and 999 gm, the criminal penalties will include no less than ten years of incarceration and no more than a life sentence. They will also include fines of up to $8 million for individuals arrested.
• Marijuana (Schedule I) – For trafficking over 1,000 plants, the first offense include penalties of ten years to life, and a monetary fine between $4 and $10 million.

Brief Overview of the Drug Schedules

The penalties will often lie in line with the different Schedules of the drug; for example, trafficking a Schedule I drug will have similar penalties to other Schedule I drugs, but will be more severe than a Schedule V drug. To best understand the different Schedules, please review the below:

• Schedule V – Low potential for abuse paired with a widely accepted medial use. This could include a drug such as a cough suppressant with a low level of codeine.
• Schedule IV – Low potential for abuse, but more potential than Schedule V. There is a medical use that is currently accepted. Examples include Xanax, Valium and the like.
• Schedule III – There is a slight potential for abuse, but the drug still does have an accepted medical use. Examples include anabolic steroids.
• Schedule II – There is a high potential for abuse, and there is accepted medical uses, but there are considerable restrictions. Examples include cocaine, opium and morphine.
• Schedule I – These are the drugs with the highest potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use. Examples include heroin, peyote and Ecstasy.

Contact an Orlando Drug Trafficking Law Firm Today

At Katz & Phillips, we have extensive experience in handling drug-related crimes of all kinds – including trafficking. Should you choose to work with an Orlando criminal defense lawyer from our firm, you will be able to rest assured knowing that you will have an experienced attorney in your corner that is prepared to go the distance in fighting for your just outcome.

Don’t waste a moment! Contact an Orlando drug trafficking lawyer from our firm today to discuss your case in more detail with a knowledgeable advocate.