DC Drug Trafficking Lawyer

Trafficking drugs is an all-encompassing term for drug distribution, that includes anyone who is involved with the distribution of drugs anywhere in the chain of that distribution. Anyone who is distributing or selling drugs would also be involved in drug trafficking and they would have the associated charge of drug distribution.

Law enforcement efforts against drug trafficking involve the cooperation of multiple law enforcement agencies. In a drug trafficking cases, organizations such as the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and local police, work in concert to investigate multiple people and locations before making an arrest. Law enforcement takes additional measures, including the use of wiretaps and surveillance, during the multiple agency investigations. A lot of resources and manpower are devoted to investigating drug trafficking because it has been a problem in the DC Metro area for decades.

Due to this immense use of resources and attention, if you are facing charges, it is important to get the help of a DC drug trafficking lawyer as soon as possible to begin building a case. An experienced drug defense attorney can work hard to build a defense to your trafficking charges and maintain a positive outcome in your case, mitigating or evading penalties.

How Trafficking Occurs

Possessing drugs with the intent to distribute them is a charge commonly associated with trafficking. Conspiracy charges are often charged in drug trafficking cases in DC because more than one person is involved since drug trafficking is set up as an organization or enterprise. Anyone that is engaged in that enterprise can be charged with conspiracy. Drug trafficking by its very nature involves multiple people because it encompasses manufacturing or growing, transporting, and distribution. It is rare in the drug trade for that to be handled by one person.

It is also common for drug trafficking cases to yield charges for weapons and money laundering. Additionally, anyone who has drugs or drug paraphernalia on their person can be charged with simple possession charges.

Many people who are arrested for drug trafficking are also found to be in possession of weapons illegally, which can endanger the general public. Additionally, transporting dangerous controlled substances could increase the customer base, which is inherently dangerous. Moreover, it is harder to warn the general public of a more dangerous batch of drugs when the drugs are transported into other jurisdictions quickly.

Federal Court

Jurisdictional borders, such as the border between DC and Virginia or DC and Maryland, are the respective courts’ jurisdictions, as well as overlapping jurisdictions between certain law enforcement agencies. Whenever drugs or money is involved in a drug trade is moved from one jurisdiction to another, that becomes a federal charge so those cases are heard in Federal Court.

Federal Court is the last place that a defendant wants to find themselves when facing drug charges because the federal sentencing guidelines are much harsher than in most state jurisdictions, particularly in DC. A DC drug trafficking lawyer is essential in helping to mitigate these charges. In Federal Court, the amount of drugs involved, the number of people involved, and numerous other factors can add significant time to a person’s sentence.

Contacting a DC Drug Trafficking Attorney

If an individual is being investigated, has been arrested, or has been charged with drug trafficking offenses, most likely the case is going to be in Federal Court. It is important to get help of an experienced drug trafficking lawyer in DC because the potential penalties are severe. That is also true if the case is heard in DC Superior Court, where the maximum penalty for drug trafficking would be up to 30 years in prison. Regardless of which court the case will be heard in, there is too much at stake not to take immediate affirmative action to build the best defense possible.