Drug trafficking laws in Florida are quite strict. If you are facing drug trafficking charges in Florida, you are looking at penalties that include years in prison and tens of thousands of dollars in fines. Those are penalties you must take seriously.
Anyone facing a drug trafficking charge should contact Van Elswyk Law, LLC, serving Nokomis, Florida, to consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney. That conversation could be life-changing.
Contact our law firm to consult with a criminal defense lawyer who will fight to protect your rights and keep you out of prison.
The Consequences of Drug Trafficking Charges
Drug trafficking is both a state and federal offense. That means you could be facing several charges for a single crime. At the state level, a conviction will result in at least three years in prison. The mandatory minimum penalty for a drug trafficking offense at the federal level is five years.
Additionally, any conviction also includes minimum fines. At the state level, that means you will be fined at least $25,000. That may seem almost generous compared to the minimum $1 million fine you can face for federal drug trafficking charges.
How a Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help
If you are facing drug charges, the better you understand your options, the more likely it is that your drug crime attorney can help you get good results. Typically, there are several options that an experienced lawyer can take when approaching drug charges defense in Florida.
Dismissal for Rights Violations
One of the first things that we will do at Van Elswyk Law, LLC is determine whether the police and prosecutors respected your rights during your arrest and any following part of the criminal justice process. If they did not, we will pursue dismissal for violations of your rights.
When outright dismissal is not an option, we may still be able to get evidence tossed out for procedural reasons. If we can get the right evidence tossed out, the prosecution will often drop charges rather than pursue a case that it knows it cannot win.
Plea Bargains
Unfortunately, many prosecutors in Florida overcharge. If they can legally charge you with a crime, even if just barely, they often will. We understand the consequences of overcharging and how it can destroy lives.
In many cases, the prosecution may be willing to negotiate for lesser charges that don’t include mandatory prison sentences or sky-high fines. If we can convince the prosecution to reduce the charges to a misdemeanor and the penalties to probation, that is often a deal worth making.
We understand that most defendants would prefer charges to be dropped or to be found not guilty by a jury. That, unfortunately, is not something we can guarantee in most cases. It is usually better to minimize the consequences than to risk a trial that could end with a guilty verdict.
Trial
When all other avenues are unavailable, our legal team is always ready to provide you with a robust defense at trial.
Brice Van Elswyk is a highly skilled criminal defense attorney and a former prosecutor. He understands the tactics the prosecution will use at trial and can guide you through the process in a way that makes it feel less overwhelming.
At Van Elswyk Law, we understand that the government can make mistakes. Our experienced investigation team will scour the evidence to uncover proof of reasonable doubt that will sway a jury.
We will use every tactic available to defend your rights throughout the trial. We can never guarantee results, but Brice Van Elswyk has an excellent record in the courtroom.
How You Can Help Your Case
If you are arrested for drug trafficking charges, your actions immediately after the arrest can significantly affect the results of your case.
The most important thing you should do is request a lawyer and say nothing to the police (other than providing them with your name). Anything you say can potentially be used against you and make it harder for your attorney to defend you.
Contact Van Elswyk Law, LLC Today
If you have been charged with any type of drug crime in Florida, you need to take those charges seriously. Drug charges can easily be stacked to result in years or even decades in prison and higher fines than you can afford.
Drug trafficking charges are the ultimate example. These charges come with high minimum sentencing at both the state and federal levels. Don’t delay after being charged with drug trafficking. Contact our law firm immediately to schedule a consultation with an experienced criminal defense attorney who cares.