In Florida, drug possession, trafficking, and sales are violations of the law. The offenses are punished according to the quantity of the drug and where it was sold. The defendants who receive the charges need a clear defense to avoid a conviction. A Criminal Defense Attorney in Fort Myers explains the penalties for each charge and how they affect the defendant’s life.
Cocaine Offenses and Penalties
State Code 775.082 and 893.01 define drug offenses involving cocaine. The possession of at least twenty-eight grams of cocaine is classified as trafficking. It is considered a 1st-degree felony in Florida. The sale of cocaine near schools or playgrounds is a 2nd-degree felony. Sentencing for trafficking starts with three years in prison and a $50,000 fine for quantities between twenty-five and two hundred grams.
Trafficking of cocaine that involves two hundred to four hundred grams equates to a seven-year prison sentence and a fine of $100,000. Quantities between four hundred and one hundred-fifty kilograms lead to fifteen years in prison and a fine of $250,000. Any quantity over one hundred-fifty kilogram equates to life in prison.
Heroin Offenses and Penalties
The possession of heroin is a 3rd-degree felony which leads to five years in prison, $5,000 fines and driver’s license suspensions. The sale, delivery, and manufacturing of heroin lead to fifteen years in prison, fifteen years of probation, a fine of $10,000, and a driver’s license suspension.
Trafficking charges are based on the quantity. Four to fourteen grams equates to a three-year prison sentence. Fourteen to twenty-eight grams equates to fifteen years in prison and a $100,000 fine. Twenty-eight to thirty grams equate to twenty-five years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Thirty or more grams equate to life in prison and a fine of $500,000.
In Florida, drug convictions reduce employment prospects for defendants. After a conviction, the defendant is less likely to become gainfully employed and faces restrictions based on their parole. The convictions prevent the defendants from renting apartments in some cases, too. Defendants facing the charges contact a Criminal Defense Attorney in Fort Myers through the Law Office Of James W. Chandler P.A. and set up an appointment now.
