How Federal Drug Crimes Can Impact Your Life
Federal drug crimes seem to be a headline in the news on a daily basis. States like California and the federal government have strict laws in place regarding the possession, distribution, and trafficking of drugs like marijuana, heroin, cocaine and ecstasy. According to drugabuse.gov, drug crimes cost our country over 190 billion dollars a year in healthcare, loss of work productivity and crimes. An increase in federal drugs crimes like trafficking and dealing tend to lead to an increase in other types of crimes like theft, abuse, property damage and misconduct.
Last month, an undercover drug operation in San Diego, California led to the indictments of 31 individuals suspected of dealing drugs on the streets. The local community came together to report open drug sales to the authorities which led to an undercover operation called Operation Hard Candy. Drug related crimes are not limited to the San Diego area and can be found in towns and cities across California and the United States. Authorities conduct a number of investigations yearly and over 1.5 million drug crime arrests were made in 2014 according to an FBI report released in September of 2015. With statistics like these, it is easy to understand why drug related crimes tend to often make news headlines.
Federal drug crimes usually encompass problems like drug trafficking (the illegal sale of illegal drugs), manufacturing (growing or producing illegal drugs) and major distribution (selling and delivering of illegal drugs) instead of possession. With the increase in drug trafficking from foreign countries, we are also seeing an increase in state drug crimes like possession. Committing a federal drug related crime is a felony which can lead to serious penalties including significant fines (thousands of dollars), time in prison and in some cases, life in prison. How serious the sentence is depends on a few factors related to the federal drug crime including the amount of drugs involved; the type of drug; previous criminal history and if it involved smuggling drugs into the country or dealing on the streets.
The greatest impact on a life usually comes in the form of long-term repercussions. Convicted felons lose the privilege to vote or carry a firearm and they tend to find it more difficult to secure financial aid for school, find housing, find jobs, keep jobs that require licenses or certifications or even be trusted by friends and family.
Individuals that commit federal drug related crimes know how severe the consequences can be but like most Americans have the mindset “It won’t happen to them”. In many states, including California there is a code in regards to drug diversion. California’s code is known as Penal Code 1000 PC, the deferred entry of judgment program. This code gives first time offenders of non-violent drug related crimes the opportunity to attend a rehabilitation and education program in lieu of jail time. Once they have completed the program, the charges are then dismissed by the government.
If you or a loved one have been charged for a federal drug crime, contacting a lawyer that specializes in these types of defense cases is your best opportunity to prevent a serious impact on your future. Attorney Michael Berg and his team are experienced in federal drug crime defense and have helped numerous others with similar backgrounds get a second chance. Micheal is a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization and will be more than happy to provide a FREE consultation regarding your case.