Seasoned Jacksonville Defense Lawyers Tackle Your Drug Trafficking Charges

Skilled drug crime defense attorneys fighting for your future

Florida’s drug trafficking laws are among the strictest in the country. If you’ve been accused of drug trafficking, it is imperative that you seek help from a dedicated drug crimes attorney who can navigate the complex laws surrounding these types of crimes. At the law office of Shafer Law, P.A., we have the skills and experience needed to defend you against charges of drug trafficking. We understand that your future is at stake. With more than 80 years of combined experience, our attorneys are prepared to mount a rigorous defense of your rights in court.

The realities of a drug trafficking charge

Florida drug laws are numerous and complex. Trafficking laws base sentencing on the types and amount of drugs. Naturally, some drugs carry weightier penalties than others. For example, the generic drug hydrocodone is present in both Lortab and Vicodin. If you’re caught with seven Lortab pills in your possession, you face a trafficking conviction, and anywhere between three and thirty years in prison. Trafficking hydrocodone carries fines between $50,000 and $500,000, depending on how many grams you have. If you’re caught with 28 grams of cocaine — one ounce, or the equivalent of two tablespoons of butter — you face mandatory fines and time in Florida State prison.

You don’t have to be caught distributing drugs to be charged with trafficking. If the combined weight of the drugs is high enough, the state can charge you simply because they’re in your possession. Certain classes of drugs have higher trafficking thresholds than others.

Sales and distribution charges vary according to the type and weight

The minimum amount that results in trafficking charges varies with each drug. Here are a few examples:

• Cannabis — 25 pounds or 300 plants
• Cocaine — 28 grams
• Hydrocodone— 14 grams
• LSD — 1 gram
• MDMA (ecstasy)— 10 grams
• Oxycodone — 7 grams

Trafficking penalties increase depending on the amount of the drug above the minimum. Florida Statutes §893.15 sets the mandatory minimum consequences for these and other drugs:

Cannabis

• 25–2,000 pounds or 300–2,000 plants — 3-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and a $25,000 fine
• 2,000–10,000 pounds or 2,000–10,000 plants — 7-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and a $50,000 fine
• 10,000 pounds or more — 15-year mandatory minimum prison sentence and a $200,000 fine

Cocaine

• 28–200 grams — 3-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $50,000 fine
• 200–400 grams — 7-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $100,000 fine
• 400 grams–150 kilograms — 15-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $250,000 fine
• More than 150 kilograms — Life imprisonment with no parole eligibility

Hydrocodone

• 14–28 grams — 3-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $50,000 fine
• 29–49 grams — 7-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $100,000 fine
• 50–200 grams — 15-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $500,000 fine
• 200 grams–30 kilograms — 25-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $750,000 fine

LSD

• 1 gram or more, but less than 5 grams — 3 years in prison and a $50,000 fine
• 5 grams or more, but less than 7 grams — 7 years in prison and a $100,000 fine
• 7 grams or more — 15 years in prison and a $500,000 fine

MDMA (Ecstasy)

• 10 grams or more, but less than 200 grams — 3-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $50,000 fine
• 200 grams or more, but less than 400 grams — 7-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $100,000 fine
• 400 grams or more — 15-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $250,000 fine

Oxycodone

• 7–14 grams — 3-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $50,000 fine
• 14–25 grams — 7-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $100,000 fine
• 25–100 grams — 15-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $500,000 fine
• 100 grams–30 kilograms — 25-year mandatory minimum sentence and a $750,000 fine

To charge you with conspiracy to distribute illegal drugs, the government only has to prove that you were loosely associated with co-conspirators. In other words, if you are connected to a telephone call about distributing drugs, even if no drug transaction actually takes place, you could be charged with conspiring with the person to whom you spoke, as that person may be speaking about the conspiracy with other people you have never even met.

Contact our Jacksonville firm for a free initial consultation on drug trafficking charges

The defense attorneys at Shafer Law, P.A. welcome the opportunity to learn about the charges against you and get right to work on your defense. If you have been charged with drug cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, or trafficking, call us at 904-450-5872 or contact us online to schedule your initial free consultation. Our office is conveniently located on North Pearl Street, directly across from the Duval County Courthouse.