Criminal Defense Lawyers

Alabama Drug Trafficking Lawyers

There’s one reason you’re on this website: you’re looking for an elite criminal defense law firm, because you or someone you care about is facing Alabama drug trafficking charges. Most law firms implement a cookie cutter strategy in order to fight your case, and save their own time. They don‘t look carefully at your situation – they simply want to move on to the next case. At Spodek Law Group, we leave no stone unturned. We do everything possible to win. Everything we do is focused on getting you results. We understand the difficult and challenges of going through a case. If you‘re accused of a crime, schedule a consultation with our criminal attorneys today.

What is Drug Trafficking in Alabama?

So, what do you do if you get hit with one of these things? First, let’s define what exactly drug trafficking means under Alabama law.Trafficking is commonly thought of as the act of transporting illegal substances on a large scale. It’s a charge meant to go after the kingpins – those cultivating, manufacturing, or transporting drugs across borders for illegal sale and distribution. The big fish making the real money, right?Well, not exactly. Alabama’s laws cast a much wider net for what constitutes trafficking. Under Alabama Code Section 13A-12-231, trafficking includes:

• Selling drugs
• Manufacturing drugs
• Delivering drugs
• Bringing drugs into the state
• Or even just possessing certain quantities of drugs 1

That’s right – you don’t actually have to be a Pablo Escobar-level drug lord to get slapped with trafficking charges in Alabama. Merely possessing over a certain amount could do it. For example, having just 2.2 pounds of marijuana could potentially lead to a trafficking charge, even if it was just for personal use. 1The penalties for drug trafficking in Alabama are no joke. All trafficking charges are Class A felonies, which is about as serious as it gets. 5 The state also imposes mandatory minimum sentences based on the type and amount of drugs involved. 4

Trafficking Amounts and Penalties

Here’s a quick rundown of some of the amounts that can trigger trafficking charges, and the minimum penalties:Marijuana

• 2.2 – 100 lbs: 3 years in prison, $25,000 fine 3
• 100 – 500 lbs: 5 years, $50,000 fine 4
• 500 – 1,000 lbs: 15 years, $200,000 fine 4
• Over 1,000 lbs: Life sentence 3

Cocaine

• 28g – 500g: 3 years, $50,000 fine 3
• 500g – 1kg: 5 years, $100,000 fine 4
• Over 10kg: Life sentence 2

Opioids like Fentanyl, Morphine, Heroin

• 4g – 14g: 3 years, $50,000 fine 3
• Over 56g: Life sentence 3

Other Drugs

• 1,000+ pills of sedatives like Methaqualone: Up to 10 years 3
• 28g+ of drugs like Ecstasy/MDMA: 3 years min, $50,000 fine 3

As you can see, the amounts are shockingly low for some extremely harsh penalties. A few ounces of cocaine or a handful of opiate pills could literally cost you the rest of your life behind bars. 234

An Aggressive Prosecutorial Approach

Sorry, if that didn’t make sense. Let me put it another way – Alabama takes an extremely aggressive stance when it comes to prosecuting drug crimes, especially trafficking cases.Prosecutors love to go after these charges because convictions carry those sweet, sweet mandatory minimums we just discussed. 1 They get to brag about taking down “drug kingpins” while ensuring long prison sentences, even for lower-level offenders.Law enforcement also uses some clever tactics to catch traffickers, like:

• Establishing special drug interdiction units to patrol highways and catch traffickers transporting drugs through the state 1
• Flipping low-level offenders by offering leniency if they cooperate and snitch on higher-ups in the supply chain 1

So in many cases, they start with a routine traffic stop and parlay that into a major trafficking bust through skillful interrogation and exploitation of informants.Wait, what did you say? You‘re not a drug kingpin at all, just an average person caught up in this mess? Well, that’s exactly why you need expert legal representation. The system is designed to funnel you into those harsh mandatory minimum sentences, regardless of your actual role.

Defending Against Trafficking Charges

At Spodek Law Group, our Alabama drug trafficking lawyers have years of experience battling these aggressive prosecution tactics. We know all the tricks they’ll try to pull, and we‘re ready to fight fire with fire.Sometimes prosecutors will only be fair if you respond with force to them. Without an attorney advising you, you might accidentally plead guilty when you could‘ve won the case. The only way to truly know is to hire a private criminal defense attorney.At Spodek Law Group – we pride ourselves on taking a hands-on approach. It means researching the exact situation surrounding your case, and putting in the leg work to be familiar with every single intimate detail. Our firm has excellent work ethics, and we constantly hold firm meetings in order to discuss and address all of our cases. In the event of an emergency – we have a full team of lawyers available to help you.Regardless of how tough your situation is – we are here to help you. Our criminal defense lawyers work hard to have a solution for you, irrespective of the situation you find yourself in. Many clients are often embarrassed by their situation, and don’t speak openly about their alleged issue. We encourage open dialogue, and recommend full transparency – so we can give you the best possible legal advice.

Some potential defenses we may explore in an Alabama drug trafficking case include:

Challenging the Traffic Stop

If drugs were discovered after a traffic stop, we’ll scrutinize every aspect of that stop to ensure your Fourth Amendment rights weren’t violated through an unlawful search or lack of probable cause.

Arguing Lack of Intent

For charges like possession with intent to distribute, we may argue that any drugs were simply for personal use, not trafficking, if the amount is near the threshold.

Questioning the Chain of Evidence

We’ll look for any gaps or irregularities in how the evidence was stored, transported, and handled that could undermine its credibility.

Suppressing Statements

If you were interrogated improperly or without being read your Miranda rights, we can seek to prevent any statements you made from being used against you.

Plea Bargaining

While we’ll always fight for full acquittal, we may negotiate with prosecutors to reduce charges from trafficking to simple possession in some cases.The key is exploring every possible avenue for attacking the prosecution’s case and avoiding those harsh mandatory minimums if at all possible.

Statewide Representation

No matter where in Alabama your alleged drug trafficking activities took place, the Spodek Law Group has you covered. We have a deep familiarity with the judges, prosecutors, and processes in jurisdictions across the state.The Spodek Law Group handles cases nationwide. We have offices in NYC and Los Angeles.From Birmingham to Mobile, Montgomery to Huntsville, our Alabama drug trafficking attorneys can provide an aggressive defense strategy tailored to the specific county and court your case will be heard in. We leave no stone unturned in pursuing the best possible outcome for our clients.

Your Freedom Is Our Top Priority

Facing Alabama’s draconian drug trafficking laws is a terrifying prospect. The potential punishments are so severe that they can derail your entire life’s trajectory with a single conviction.That’s why at Spodek Law Group, protecting your freedom and future is our number one priority when taking on drug cases. We understand what’s at stake for you and your loved ones.Our Alabama criminal defense lawyers will treat your case with the urgency and dedication it deserves from day one. We’ll be by your side every step of the way, answering your questions, alleviating your concerns, and tirelessly working toward getting the charges reduced or dismissed entirely.