Federal Drug Crimes Attorney

Federal drug crimes include: drug distribution, sales, importation, exportation, trafficking and/or attempts to do one of these acts. Federal drug cases frequently occur between Mexico and the United States, Canada and the United States, or within the United States but across state lines.  In Federal drug cases, the federal prosecutors (called Assistant United State Attorneys or AUSAs) often file lengthy criminal charges which allege both a Federal drug conspiracy, among many co-defendants, and also the sale and/or distribution of a large quantity of marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, or another type of controlled substance.

Many Federal criminal drug cases also involve either an undercover law enforcement agent who has infiltrated a Federal drug conspiracy or a confidential informant—a person who is working for the Federal Government in exchange for a more lenient sentence for his role in the drug conspiracy.  Federal drug cases may also involve the use of wiretap or video surveillance evidence.  Therefore, based on the complicated type of evidence which may be involved in a Federal drug case, you will need an experienced Federal drug crimes attorney to evaluate the individual facts of your case and to help you scrutinize and attack any evidence that may be offered against you.

Potential Penalties

The harsh Mandatory Minimum sentences which may be triggered in a Federal Drug Crimes case mean that the larger the quantity of drugs alleged, the more prison time a defendant may face.

• 5 year mandatory minimum sentence may apply for sales or attempted sales of:
  • 100 plants or 100 kilo or more of marijuana
  • 500 grams or more of cocaine (powder)
  • 100 grams or more of heroin
  • 5 grams or more of methamphetamine

• 10 year mandatory minimum sentence may apply for sales or attempted sales of:
  • 1,000 plants or more; 1000 kilo or more of marijuana
  • 5 kilos or more of cocaine (powder)
  • 1 kilo or more of heroin
  • 50 grams or more of methamphetamine

A skilled, and aggressive, Federal drug crimes attorney knows how to successfully fight the imposition of a mandatory minimum sentence by considering:

• use of the safety valve provision
• §5k1.1 motion based on cooperation with the Government,
• negotiation for a non-mandatory minimum charge. 

If you are facing a Federal drug crimes case, and may be facing a mandatory minimum sentence, then call the Law Offices of Karen L. Goldstein for a free, confidential consultation: (888) 445-6313 with a skilled and knowledgeable Federal drug crimes attorney.

See also Drug Crimes section for more information on Federal drug crimes cases.