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Defending Against Federal Narcotics Conspiracy Charges in New York
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Defending Against Federal Narcotics Conspiracy Charges in New York
Being charged with a federal drug conspiracy is scary. The penalties can be severe, including long mandatory minimum sentences. But with an experienced defense attorney on your side, you can fight the charges and work toward the best possible outcome.
What is a Federal Drug Conspiracy?
A federal drug conspiracy charge means prosecutors believe you made an agreement with someone else to violate federal narcotics laws. This could involve importing, exporting, manufacturing, distributing or possessing illegal drugs. Conspiracy charges don’t require proof that drugs actually exchanged hands – just that you made an agreement to break the law.
Common federal drug conspiracies brought in New York include:
- Heroin distribution conspiracies
- Cocaine distribution conspiracies
- Marijuana distribution conspiracies
- Prescription drug distribution conspiracies
Prosecutors may hit you with other charges too, like money laundering, gun possession, or leading a drug organization. But the conspiracy charge connects you to the whole criminal operation.
Penalties for Federal Drug Conspiracies
A federal drug conspiracy conviction can lead to:
- 10+ years in federal prison
- Massive fines up to $10 million
- Forfeiture of assets connected to the conspiracy
- Supervised release after prison
Penalties get higher as the drug amounts and your alleged role increases. You face 10 years to life if the conspiracy involved 5+ kilos of cocaine or 1+ kilo of heroin. Leaders also get longer sentences.
Fighting Federal Conspiracy Charges in New York
The government often uses conspiracy charges to cast a wide net in drug probes. But winning these complex cases isn’t easy. As a defense lawyer, I’ve had success getting conspiracy and other charges dismissed pre-trial or beating them at trial.
Effective strategies for fighting federal narcotics conspiracy charges include:
File pretrial motions to suppress evidence or dismiss the case
If agents violated your rights gathering evidence, we can file a motion to suppress. This keeps illegally obtained evidence out of court. We also review the charging documents and grand jury transcripts for defects. If we find problems, we can file motions to dismiss the conspiracy or other charges.
Negotiate a favorable plea bargain
If you decide to plead guilty, skilled negotiating can help get charges dropped or reduced. We dig for information to use as leverage, like cooperation against higher targets or weaknesses in the government’s case. This puts us in a better bargaining position to limit prison time and fines.
Take your case to trial
You always have the right to fight conspiracy allegations at a jury trial. Few federal cases make it this far, but sometimes it offers the best chance at beating the charges. My legal team leaves no stone unturned while investigating the facts. We look for inconsistencies in the evidence to raise doubt about the prosecution’s version of events.
At trial, we hammer the notion that “conspiracy” often just means loose associations between people, not formal agreements. Unless the government can prove beyond reasonable doubt that you actually joined the drug scheme, the jury should vote not guilty.
Humanize clients to show the whole picture
I also make sure the judge and jury see clients as complex humans, not just “drug dealers.” We gather life stories, mental health records, addiction histories, family impacts and more to encourage empathy. This context can help achieve better case results.
Talk to a Seasoned Federal Drug Conspiracy Lawyer Today
The stakes are high when facing federal narcotics conspiracy charges. But an experienced defense lawyer can carefully analyze the case, spot issues and build creative defenses. Don’t leave freedom in the government’s hands. Contact my firm to craft an aggressive strategy for beating these allegations.
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