georgia drug trafficking cases

A search warrant must also particularly describe the place to be searched and the person or things to be seized. 16-13-31 (c), a person commits the offense of Trafficking in Marijuana when he or she sells, manufactures, grows, delivers, brings into this state, or has possession of a quantity of marijuana exceeding ten pounds. A few common defenses include: The information provided above is a very general summary of Georgia drug trafficking and possession law at the time this text was prepared. Look no further then Page Pate and Jess Johnson if you want the best trial lawyers to represent you! Two homes alleged to have been involved as locations for drug storage or distribution also are subject to forfeiture proceedings in the indictment. Drug trafficking is a serious criminal charge based on certain quantities of illegal drugs. In that case, it is considered drug trafficking under Section 16-13-31 and the punishment is as follows: mandatory 5-year minimum imprisonment if the quantity is more than 4 but less than 14 grams and a $50,000.00 fine; mandatory 10 year minimum imprisonment if the quantity is more than 14 but less than 28 grams and a $100,000.00 fine; and mandatory 25 year minimum imprisonment if the quantity is more than 28 grams and a $500,000.00 fine. So lets say they go to trial. During December 2018 and January 2019, Duffy sold heroin from a trap house located in an Atlanta apartment. Nine defendants are among those facing federal charges including illegal possession of firearms after separate indictments by a grand jury in the Southern District of Georgia, while recent actions in Middle District of Georgia If you are convicted of trafficking marijuana, you may receive a sentence of five years and a fine of $100,000 for 10 to 2,000 pounds. Under Georgia law O.C.G.A. If convicted of a second or subsequent offense, he may be imprisoned for 10 to 40 years. The only exceptions to this rule are if the home owner gives consent to the search or if exigent circumstances (some immediate emergency requiring swift action) exist. And even if you do that, it only protects you going forward. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justices violent crime reduction efforts. Call us or complete the form below. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. We can be grateful that countless individuals have been saved from a drug overdose or a gunshot wound by the work of the law enforcement professionals in this operation., Operation Breaking the Bond is another example of the FBIs willingness to work with our federal, state and local partners to dismantle organizations that endanger our communities, said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. The large-scale operation in Georgia, West Virginia and New York follows recent efforts to combat violent crimes and keep repeat offenders behind bars. Also follow DEA Atlanta via Twitter at @DEAATLANTADiv. Another defense is that there is no knowledge of the agreement. If the quantity of marijuana is is more than 10 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds, a person faces a mandatory minimum 5 years imprisonment and a $50,000.00 fine. Wade Watkins: Count 1- Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy) Prison Empire: 2019-GS-47-23 (Pickens County) Count 1: Trafficking Methamphetamine, 400 Grams or More (Conspiracy) A total of 76 defendants are named in a newly unsealed federal indictment describing a massive drug trafficking investigation tied to the Ghost Face Gangsters criminal street gang that includes allegations of multiple deaths from illegal drug overdoses. In the courtroom theres no doubt that they are accomplished masterful attorneys who represented my son being accused of a criminal crime he did not commit. Because there is a larger amount of drugs involved in a trafficking case, drug trafficking charges can carry serious mandatory minimum prison sentences that usually increase with the quantity of the drugs. We dont think these people really need it, and so you violated the federal drug laws. Well, we were able to show the government that there was no unlawful agreement. Even when a driver consents to his vehicle being searched, it may be possible to challenge the lawfulness of the search. For any offense after that, you can expect to receive between 10 and 40 years to life in prison. However, for small amounts of marijuana, or if your trafficking case is reduced to possession, you may be able to get your charges reduced to a misdemeanor. Investigators also seized 39 illegally possessed firearms, ranging from pistols and shotguns to assault-style rifles. An official website of the United States government. Weve done that in many cases, and usually because the evidence that they find during the search is so important, if we can keep that out, the case will be dismissed. This exception allows law enforcement to search a vehicle (that has been lawfully stopped) without a search warrant if there is probable cause to believe that the vehicle contains contraband. Its just this agreement, and then knowing about the agreement, saying, I wanna be a part of it. The person can drive a car and be part of a drug conspiracy. to be charged with drug trafficking. Major South Georgia drug trafficker sentenced to nearly two decades in federal prison Drug Enforcement Administration Robert J. Murphy, Jr. Special Agent in Charge Atlanta @DEAAtlantaDiv October 13, 2020 Contact: Chuvalo Truesdell Phone Number: (571) 362-3517 For Immediate Release In the vast majority of cases involving the search of a home, law enforcement is required to obtain a valid warrant before setting foot inside of the home. Horrific new details have emerged in the case of the LGBT activist couple arrested in Georgia this past summer on suspicion of using their two adopted children to make child porn.. If you have those two elements, then you have an entrapment defense, and its a very effective defense in trial. For 200 to 400 grams, the sentence is 15 to 30 years with a fine of $300,000. Number one, the person was not predisposed at being involved in a drug conspiracy. A person, if convicted, who purchases or possesses either a Schedule I or narcotic Schedule II drug is guilty of a felony and may be punished by imprisonment for 1-3 years (if less than 1 gram), 1-8 years (if more than 1 gram but less than 4 grams), or for 1-15 years (if more than 4 grams but less than 28 grams). They dont have to show that a person even had drugs. Duffy admitted that he conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute between one and three kilograms of heroin, or enough heroin to provide more than 10,000-30,000 doses, from December 2018 to February 2019. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. The most strict penalties for trafficking marijuana, on the other hand, are measured in pounds. U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Georgia, Nine Federally Charged, Arrested in Middle GA Drug Trafficking Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), ACTIVITY IN THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, Man Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charge for Allegedly Murdering Teenage Girl To Increase Position in Violent Street Gang, Nine newly indicted on federal charges for crimes including drugs and illegal firearms possession, Nine Federally Charged, Arrested In Middle GA Drug Trafficking Investigation. Under Georgia law, it is illegal to possess, manufacture, deliver, distribute or possess with intent to distribute any controlled substance (O.C.G.A. They are dangerous and threaten the safety of our communities, said Vic Reynolds, Director of the GBI. You know, The government came after me. Case Update: Five of the eight individuals wanted by the #FBI for drug trafficking conspiracy in Georgia are in custody. They have evidence that an individual is involved in the drug business, but they have charged him with a bunch of people that he didnt know. 16-13-31(a), Trafficking marijuana: O.C.G.A. The person being charged, while there may be an agreement, he doesnt know about it. In Cobb County, bonds for trafficking range from $65,000 up to $125,000. These issues are absent in most drug trafficking cases. This affidavit is then submitted to the judge for his or her consideration. How to Apply for the New Pretrial Diversion Program in Federal Court, Our Firm Helps Client Avoid Prison in Large Federal Drug Conspiracy Case, Federal Marijuana Sentences May Be Reduced Based on Changing Marijuana Laws, Law Enforcement Now Using Wiretaps for Facebook, Instagram. Some are truly illegal (like heroin) and some are legal with a valid prescription from a doctor. If you have been charged with a serious drug offense in Atlanta, or anywhere else in Georgia, it is imperative that you retain an aggressive Atlanta criminal defense attorney experienced in filing and arguing motions to suppress evidence. In June 2019, investigators executed search warrants at eight houses used for stashing or distributing narcotics in Atlanta and Vidalia, seizing more than two kilos of cocaine, four kilos of marijuana, half a kilo of methamphetamine, more than two kilos of MDMA, pints of Codeine, 600 grams of Xanax, pill presses, and surveillance equipment. Disclaimer|Sitemap, Page Pate explains what happens in a federal criminal case Attorney Page Pate explains what happe, The Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (MDLEA) is a series of federal laws that allow the United, Accountability courts and pretrial diversion allow some people that have been charged with a fede, Earlier this week, a federal district court judge in Atlanta, Georgia sentenced our client to ti, Since the First Step Act of 2018 became law, thousands of federal inmates have been released earl, Investigators in at least one state have sought and received court authorization to wiretap commu. Albany: 229-430-7754 Justin Adams, a/k/a Ace, 40, of Vidalia, and Andre Jackson, a/k/a Dre, 31, of Vidalia, were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge R. Stan Baker, said Acting U.S. Attorney David H. Estes. 16-13-31(c), Trafficking methamphetamine: O.C.G.A. So I thought it might be helpful to talk about the basics. 16-13-31(e), Trafficking morphine, opium,or heroin: O.C.G.A. Summerford was sentenced to serve 80 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on March 3, 2021; Courtney Dews, 36, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug trafficking offense. In other words, marijuana smoke billowing from the window will give law enforcement probable to cause to search. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Properly filing and arguing a motion to suppress in a serious drug case could mean the difference between spending decades in prison and having the entire case dismissed. Eight men and four women are charged as part of Operation Breaking the Bond, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation centered in the Bibb County area, said David H. Estes, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. An official website of the United States government. If a judge signs a warrant not supported by probable cause, the warrant is invalid and the fruits of any search must generally be suppressed.

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