Georgia Federal Drug Crimes Lawyers

Drug offenses may be prosecuted at the state or local level, but in some instances, the federal authorities claim jurisdiction and the cases are then prosecuted as federal drug offenses. This typically happens in cases where large amounts of drugs are involved, or the case involves transporting marijuana, cocaine or narcotics over state lines or across national borders.

Atlanta federal drug crimes cases may also involve the use of the US mail or a commercial delivery service, which may generate additional charges. An experienced federal drug offenses lawyer understands the additional areas of interest to prosecutors and may be able to remove a client from the federal authorities’ attentions before an indictment is issued. Should the case go to trial, a federal crimes defense attorney is able to mount an effective defense on behalf of his or her client.

Conaway, Strickler, & Margolis, P.C., highly recommend that persons facing a federal drug crimes investigation contact an experienced Atlanta federal drug crime defense attorney and stop the case before indictments are issued. Federal drug crimes are subject to certain rules and sentencing guidelines which are considerably harsher than those found at the state level.

Mandatory Sentencing for Federal Drug Offenses

Federal drug offenses in Georgia are subject to mandatory minimum sentencing laws. These sentencing laws result in long prison terms which are based on the amount of drugs involved in the case. For example, in a drug trafficking case involving methamphetamine, five grams of the drug will trigger a mandatory five-year prison sentence.

The mandatory minimum increases significantly if the defendant has a prior criminal record or if a firearm was used in the commission of the crime. Mandatory sentencing laws are one reason that experienced federal drug offense lawyers fight aggressively on behalf of their clients.

Federal vs. State Drug Charges

Federal and state drug charges often differ in the severity of their punishments. Federal drug crimes sentences are often not subject to reduction through parole. For example, a similar drug trafficking crime tried at the state level in Georgia will often result in a shorter mandatory prison sentence upon conviction. Furthermore, this prison sentence may be subject to parole and time served.