Drug Trafficking Charges in Georgia

Drug trafficking involves the illegal transportation of drugs for sale or personal use. It is a very serious offense in Georgia and carries severe penalties.

In order to be charged with drug trafficking, the police must have evidence that you are distributing or selling drugs. It is important to contact a felony lawyer immediately after your arrest.

Possession

Drug possession can be a serious offense with hefty fines or even imprisonment. A conviction for drug trafficking, however, can have far more severe consequences, particularly if the type and quantity of the drug involved is substantial.

In Georgia, the amount of drugs required to be considered trafficking depends on the specific drug and its schedule. For example, cocaine is considered a Schedule II drug that has a high potential for abuse and can lead to severe physchological dependence, but it also has a medical use. As such, the maximum penalty for a first-time conviction is thirty years in prison and a $1 million dollar fine.

If you have been accused of drug trafficking, contact Yeargan & Kert, LLC immediately. We can help you fight the charges and build a strong defense strategy. A felony conviction for drug trafficking will hurt your ability to find employment and limit your access to public benefits such as food stamps.

Distribution

Drug Trafficking Charges in Georgia are more severe than possession charges because they involve larger amounts of drugs. Having any type of drug in your possession, along with the intent to distribute it, can lead to significant prison sentences. It is also extremely difficult to get a job with a drug conviction.

A Georgia criminal defense attorney could help you defend against drug trafficking charges. The best way to proceed is to hire an experienced lawyer immediately. This will allow the legal process to begin, and it will ensure that you have someone on your side who can negotiate with the state to lower or drop the charge, as well as build a strong case for you at trial.

Intent to distribute charges are based on the amount of drugs seized and other factors such as scales, plastic bags, or large sums of money found on you. It is important to retain a drug defense lawyer right away if you have been arrested on this charge.

Manufacturing

If you are accused of manufacturing a controlled substance, the consequences can be much more severe than simply possessing a drug. If the police have found evidence of a drug manufacturing operation such as scales and other business paraphernalia, it is considered to be much more serious than simple possession of drugs. Even certain legal substances such as prescription pain medications can lead to a trafficking charge if they are found in larger quantities than would be expected for personal use.

The state uses a three-tier system of penalties for drug crimes depending on the type and amount of drugs involved. The most serious level is drug trafficking, which carries stiff minimum sentences and large fines. Cocaine, meth, and heroin are typically the drugs that will bring this penalty.

Those facing trafficking charges are often prosecuted at the federal level and will have highly trained prosecutors working on their case. You need a skilled criminal defense attorney who can build a strong case against the prosecution’s allegations.

Trafficking

Under Georgia law, it is illegal to traffic drugs into the state for the purpose of selling or distributing them. The penalties for drug trafficking in the state are quite severe, including lengthy prison sentences and substantial fines. To be charged with trafficking, police have to believe that you have a significant amount of any given drug in your possession. However, the amount that qualifies as “significant” varies by drug schedule. For cocaine, it is 28 grams or a mixture that contains at least ten percent cocaine. For heroin, morphine, or opium, the minimum amount is four grams.

If you are arrested on drug trafficking charges, it is crucial to get in touch with an experienced criminal defense attorney right away. Having an aggressive lawyer building your defense can help you avoid the harshest penalties possible. An attorney can also help you seek a reduction or dismissal of your charge. Richard Rice is a former federal prosecutor who has defended many individuals facing drug trafficking charges.