Category Archives: Drug Crime
Florida Drug Laws: When Does Possession Turn Into Trafficking?
When most people think of drug trafficking, they generally associate it with large-scale operations involving dealers and smugglers. However, in Florida, the line between drug possession and trafficking is very thin. For you to face a drug trafficking charge, you only need to be in possession of a certain quantity of a drug or… Read More »
Common Defenses Against Drug Trafficking Charges in Florida
Facing a drug trafficking charge in Florida can be a daunting experience. With the state’s strict laws on drug trafficking offenses, you may end up facing severe penalties and life-altering consequences. If you are accused of drug trafficking, it’s vital to recognize that all is not lost. Multiple legal defenses are available to you,… Read More »
Simply Being Around Drugs May Not Make You Liable for Possession
Have you been arrested for drug possession under circumstances that seem unfair? Perhaps the drugs we discovered in a home you don’t own, a friend’s car, or an area shared by others. If so, you might not be liable. Florida law on drug possession is strict, with severe consequences like heavy fines, probation, or… Read More »
Being an Accomplice in Drug Trafficking Can Lead To Severe Penalties
When you hear about someone being charged with a crime, it’s often the primary offender who comes to mind. But what happens when you play a supporting role in helping someone commit that crime? In the case of drug trafficking, the consequences can be just as severe. Drug trafficking charges can have life-altering consequences,… Read More »
Orange County Jury Convicts Man on Fentanyl Trafficking Charges
Drug trafficking carries some of the harshest criminal penalties under Florida law. “Trafficking” itself is broadly defined to include any act involving the sale, purchase, manufacture, delivery, or transport of drugs into Florida, as well as conspiring with others to do so. The actual penalty for drug trafficking generally depends on the quantity of… Read More »
Can a Judge Consider “Acquitted Conduct” in Determining a Drug Trafficking Sentence?
In any criminal trial, the government must prove a defendant’s guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Without such proof, the jury must acquit the defendant. But what happens when a jury finds a defendant guilty on some charges but not others in the same case? Can the trial court still consider the “acquitted conduct” in… Read More »
How Serious Are the Penalties for Fentanyl Trafficking in Florida?
Recently, there has been some moderately good news regarding the fentanyl crisis that has affected Florida and most other parts of the United States. In early November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that fatal overdoses of fentanyl were down 14.5 percent from 2023, marking the “lowest level of drug deaths in… Read More »
Can Florida Police Officers Seize Possible Evidence in “Plain View”?
Even when the police lawfully stop and detain you, officers usually still need a warrant to search your personal effects without your consent. There is an exception, however, for anything that is considered in “plain view” of the officer. This exception has three requirements: The officer must be in a place where they have… Read More »
Do All Members of a Drug Conspiracy Need to Be Sentenced the Same?
It is fairly common for state and federal prosecutors in Florida to charge multiple individuals with conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs. A conspiracy charge allows you to hold each individual co-conspirator criminally responsible without necessarily having to show what each participant did to advance the underlying crime. At the same time, sentencing judges retain… Read More »
What Is the “Safety Valve” in a Florida Drug Trafficking Case?
Federal law requires judges to impose mandatory minimum sentences for a number of criminal offenses. There is an exception, however, often known as the “safety valve.” The safety valve permits a judge to impose a below-minimum sentence–even over the government’s objections–in certain drug trafficking and unlawful drug possession cases. Not every defendant is entitled… Read More »
