Tampa Cocaine Trafficking Lawyer

Cocaine Trafficking Attorney in Tampa, FL

Whether you call it snow, blow, nose candy, rocks, sleet, or coke, cocaine is big business in Florida. Not only does the Sunshine State have a substantial number of users, but also its geography lends itself to the steady importation, transportation, and sale of not only powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and cocaine mixtures (such as speedball), but also many other illegal and controlled substances. To combat this growing problem, the State of Florida places heavy penalties on people convicted of drug offenses – especially drug trafficking. Thus, when someone is accused of a particular crime, they need a drug crime lawyer to stand by their side throughout the process. Aggressive Tampa cocaine trafficking lawyer Will Hanlon has 20 years of experience defending the criminally accused in Florida and federal courts. He is here to vigorously protect your rights.

Under the Constitution, a person accused of a crime has no obligation to prove their innocence. Instead, the State has the burden of proving guilt. This proof must be “beyond a reasonable doubt” in the minds of the jurors who must either convict or acquit the defendant. One of the most common ways to defend any criminal case, therefore, is to point out flaws in the prosecution’s case. These may include the absence of proof as to a particular element of the crime in question, bias or lack of credibility of a certain witness, or testimony that, even if true, still should leave a meaningful degree of doubt in jurors’ minds about a material fact. A cocaine trafficking attorney can advise Tampa residents on which of these strategies may be useful in their situation.

The crime of cocaine trafficking requires the State to prove, among other things, that the defendant knowingly possessed, sold, purchased, manufactured, delivered, or brought into the state at least 28 grams of cocaine or a mixture containing cocaine. If the State cannot prove that the defendant had actual knowledge that the substance in question was cocaine, this might be a possible defense. Lack of proof of possession (either actual or constructive) also might result in charges being dismissed or reduced. Furthermore, if the substance in question was not cocaine or a cocaine mixture, or if there was less than 28 grams of it, the defendant might be found guilty of a lesser offense (such as possession) but might have a viable defense against a trafficking charge. The defendant may also have a defense like entrapment or be able to cite a violation of a constitutionally protected right, such as the right to due process or the right to remain silent.

It is important for a defendant to discover and make use of every possible defense because a conviction of trafficking in cocaine is a felony offense in Florida. Trafficking between 28 grams and 150 kilos of coke is a first-degree felony, with a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment ranging from three years (and a $50,000 fine) for trafficking between 28 and 200 grams to 15 years (and a $250,000 fine) for trafficking between 400 grams and 150 kilograms of cocaine. People convicted of trafficking 150 kilograms or more of cocaine face life in prison.

An accusation of cocaine trafficking is not to be taken lightly. Time is of the essence in responding to not only an arrest but even a suspicion that you are being investigated for this very serious crime. At Hanlon Law, Tampa cocaine trafficking attorney Will Hanlon has been practicing law in the criminal courts of Florida for more than two decades. He knows how aggressively the State pushes for a conviction in these cases, even when the evidence and the circumstances suggest otherwise. To schedule an appointment to have Attorney Hanlon review your case, call us at 813-228-7095 or contact us online as soon as possible. We can assist people who need a trafficking attorney or representation in other drug cases.