Defending Boston Marijuana Distribution Charges in Federal Court

Defending Boston Marijuana Distribution Charges in Federal Court

Getting charged with a drug crime can be really scary. Especially when it’s in federal court! But don’t worry – there are good defenses and strategies that can help. In this article, we’ll walk through how federal drug charges work, what the penalties are, and most importantly – how a good lawyer can defend you.

First off, let’s talk about the types of federal drug crimes. There are five main ones:

• Manufacturing drugs
• Distributing drugs
• Possessing drugs with intent to distribute
• Importing drugs
• Conspiracy to commit any of the above

These crimes are defined by the federal law 21 U.S.C. 841. The main thing the government has to prove is 1) you intentionally took one of the above actions, and 2) it involved a controlled substance. Marijuana is still considered a controlled substance under federal law, even though Massachusetts has decriminalized it.

Penalties for federal drug crimes are really harsh. Like 10 years to life in prison harsh! Judges don’t have much discretion either – there are mandatory minimum sentences they have to give you if you’re convicted. Here are some examples:

• 10 years to life for 1 kilogram of heroin or 5 kilograms of cocaine
• 5-40 years for 500 grams of cocaine
• Up to 20 years for any amount of marijuana

Your lawyer can also challenge how the evidence was obtained. If the police violated your 4th Amendment rights by searching you or your property illegally, the evidence may be suppressed. No evidence = no conviction!

There are other creative legal defenses too. For example, your lawyer could argue you didn’t actually know you had drugs on you. Or if the drugs were found in your home or car, other people had access and could have left them there. The point is, an experienced lawyer knows how to poke holes in the government’s case.

If your case does go to trial, your lawyer’s job will be to create reasonable doubt in the jury’s mind. They don’t have to prove your innocence – just show the government hasn’t met their burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Even one skeptical juror can hang a jury and avoid a conviction.

And if you do end up taking a plea bargain, your lawyer can negotiate with the prosecutor for a better deal. Things like getting certain charges dropped or dismissed, or arguing for a lower sentence under the guidelines. Either way, having skilled legal counsel is critical.

The bottom line is this – federal drug charges are scary, but they can be beat. Don’t go it alone. Hire an experienced federal criminal defense lawyer to fight for you. And do it quickly – the earlier in the process, the more options you’ll have. You’ve got this! It may feel hopeless now, but thousands have been where you are and come out OK in the end. Your life isn’t over, you just need the right legal strategy and some hope. We’re rooting for you!