For 26 years now, I've defended people both at the state and federal level related to drug crimes. If you know anything about drug crime prosecution in California — even the United States — the amount of drugs is a significant factor in how the case is dealt with.
If you have a minimal amount of drugs, you may well have the argument you're just simply possessing the drugs and not selling them. Then you can avail yourself of many different Propositions, especially in California, passed.
The federal government is not likely to even prosecute a case where there's a small amount of drugs unless they have some overriding interest that would make them do that.
Federal Drug Crime Charges in California
So, the more drugs that are involved, the more likely the feds will become involved in a federal drug case, and the more likely you will be looking at their 10-year mandatory minimum sentence in a lot of cases.
It's straightforward to meet that mandatory minimum sentence, depending on what type of drugs and the amount of drugs that you have.
There's a federal table that's a sentencing table that gives you an idea of when those mandatory minimums — the 5-year, the 10-year, the 20-year are triggered for purposes of a drug crime case across the United States.
Major Narcotics Unit in Los Angeles
In Los Angeles, California, there are thousands of drug crime cases prosecuted each year. There's a significant narcotics unit in downtown Los Angeles that prosecutes the big cases where there are a lot of drugs involved.
It's tough to tell the fine line between when the central narcotics unit in Los Angeles is going to prosecute a case and when the federal government is going to step in and deal with the case in the Central District of California, which is located in downtown Los Angeles on First Street, Roybal Building.
It even covers Orange county. There's a federal criminal courthouse that prosecutes cases in that neck of the woods, and it's divided up by jurisdiction.
So, the more drugs you have, the more likely you are to go to prison. The more drugs you have, the longer the sentence will be in a federal drug crime or even in a state drug crime prosecution.
Drug Crime Enhancements
Drug crime cases can be subject to enhancements based on the quantity, amount, and weight of drugs involved. These enhancements, which apply at both the state and federal levels, can significantly impact the severity of the charges, highlighting the need for a knowledgeable defense attorney.
At the federal level, you'll often see that a 10-year mandatory minimum applies. At the state level, they also have enhancements depending on how many drugs you're talking about.
They can range from 5 to 10 to life, 15 to life, 20 to life, and 25 to life. So, you can get a feel that these drug cases are serious business.
The legislature that has enacted a lot of these laws that are being enforced by the local authorities are the ones who just decided that they want to get rid of the drug trade in America.
To that end, in addition to tasking federal task forces, giving more money to federal prosecutors to prosecute drug crimes and even funding state law enforcement to prosecute drug cases. They are taking things seriously, and it has been for quite some time.
If you or a loved one is facing a drug crime case with multiple defendants and a significant quantity of drugs, it's crucial to seek the expertise of a seasoned attorney. The seriousness of these cases underscores the need for experienced legal representation.
You need someone who knows this area of law and can make the right moves at the right time to get the best result in a significant federal or state drug crime prosecution.
At Hedding Law Firm, we understand the stress and uncertainty that comes with a drug crime charge. We are committed to providing you with the best legal defense.
