Drug trafficking is an extremely serious charge that can be increased to a felony if the individual is accused of bringing drugs across state lines so multiple states. This offense, whether charged in state or federal court can lead to very severe penalties including both fines and jail time. As a result, it is imperative that anyone accused or investigated reach out to an experienced drug attorney to begin building a defense. An Alexandria drug trafficking lawyer can help immediately by investigating the specific facts and circumstances surrounding the case and determining the best strategy for building a defense.
There are different code sections in Virginia for manufacturing illegal drugs as opposed to just distribution or possession, so the penalties will be different. Drug trafficking charges carry mandatory minimum jail sentences and depending on the type of drugs, can be three years where the judge cannot suspend that time if an individual is found guilty of drug trafficking.
These charges do carry mandatory jail time. If someone is charged with drug trafficking, this is not something where anyone could walk into court and select to get a fine. If someone is found guilty, they will go to jail. An individual would want to do everything they can to meet with a lawyer and avoid a conviction under that code section. Additionally, there is another charge for trafficking drugs that involve putting others at a risk when transporting drugs. These charges together can make the penalties even more severe making it important that an Alexandria drug trafficking attorney is contacted to assist in building a defense.
Having multiple defendants in these cases is common, especially when dealing with larger quantities of drugs. One issue with these types of cases is that when there are multiple people involved, there is the possibility that one or more people will cooperate with the police officers, and provide the police officers information about the other co-defendants or other people involved in the drug trade to get themselves a better outcome. An individual always has to be wary of what the other people in the case are doing.
Drug manufacturing and trafficking are not often seen in the area because Alexandria does not have many producers, but if officers observe it, they are going to do everything they can to shut it down. Contacting an Alexandria drug trafficking attorney is crucial due to the severity of the charges. An experienced attorney will help mitigate the process and build your case.