Drug Trafficking Defense Lawyer in Houston, TX

While Texas may be lenient on some drug charges, a drug offense rising to the level of drug trafficking may have extreme penalties. The punishments associated with drug trafficking can have a lasting impact on your family, your job, and your future.  However, each drug trafficking case is individual, with different facts and circumstances. Therefore, it is important to speak with an experienced drug trafficking defense attorney in Houston, TX to determine your best course of action. Call Mary E. Conn & Associates today for an assessment of your case if you are facing drug trafficking charges.

Houston Texas Drug Trafficking Laws

Houston imposes a range of penalties on drug possession and drug trafficking, depending on the extent of the criminal offense.  Drug possession will reach the level of drug trafficking depending on the amount of the substance with which you were arrested.  Drug trafficking becomes a felony in Houston, Texas and is defined as the intent to manufacture, deliver, sell, or import illegal drugs throughout the state, requiring the support of a criminal defense lawyer.  If the drug trafficking offense spanned state or international borders, you could additionally face federal penalties which are usually harsher than State charges. It is mandatory you contact an experienced Houston drug trafficking defense attorneys at Mary E. Conn & Associates as soon as possible after your arrest.

The Texas Health & Safety Code classifies drugs and the penalty ranges through a list of penalty groups outlined below.  Examples of the drugs in each penalty group include the following:

• Penalty Group 1: Cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, ketamine, oxycodone, hydrocodone.
• Penalty Group 1A: LSD
• Penalty Group 2: Ecstasy, PCP, mescaline
• Penalty Group 3: Lorazepam, peyote, Valium, Xanax, Ritalin
• Penalty Group 4: Includes mixtures of narcotic drugs with nonnarcotic medicinal ingredients

Our Houston drug trafficking lawyers can help you understand each penalty group, and how it contains a range of punishments, all leading to felonies if you are arrested with a certain amount of the drug.  For example, it is a felony to possess greater than one gram of a substance in Penalty Group 1, but you must have greater than 28 grams to fall within the felony punishment range of a substance in Penalty Group 3 and 4.

Marijuana offenses are listed separately from the substances in the above Penalty Groups.  A person must possess at least 4 ounces of marijuana to reach the punishment level of a state jail felony.

Penalties for Drug Trafficking Under Texas Law

The following are penalties for drug trafficking illegal drugs and controlled substances listed in Penalty Group 1: 

• Less than 1 gram: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 180 days to 2 years in prison
• 1 gram – 4 grams: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 2 years to 20 years in prison
• 4 grams – 200 grams: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 5 to 99 years in prison 
• 200 grams – 400 grams: Up to a $100,000 fine and a minimum of 10 to 99 years in prison
• Over 400 grams: Up to a $250,000 fine and a minimum of 15 to 99 years in prison 

The following are penalties for drug trafficking illegal drugs and controlled substances listed in Penalty Group 1A: 

• Less than 20 units: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 180 days to 2 years in prison
• 20 units – 80 units: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 2 years to 20 years in prison
• 80 units – 4,000 units: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 5 to 99 years in prison 
• Over 4,000 units: Up to a $250,000 fine and a minimum of 15 to 99 years in prison 

The following are penalties for drug trafficking illegal drugs and controlled substances listed for Penalty Group 2 and 2-A:

• Less than 1 gram: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 180 days to 2 years in prison
• 1 gram – 4 grams: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 2 years to 20 years in prison
• 4 grams – 400 grams: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 5 to 99 years in prison 
• Over 400 grams: Up to a $100,000 fine and a minimum of 10 to 99 years in prison

The following are penalties for drug trafficking illegal drugs and controlled substances listed for Penalty Groups 3 and 4: 

• Less than 28 grams: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 180 days to 2 years in prison
• 28 grams – 200 grams: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 2 years to 20 years in prison
• 200 grams – 400 grams: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 5 to 99 years in prison 
• Over 400 grams: Up to a $100,000 fine and a minimum of 10 to 99 years in prison

The following are penalties for knowingly or intentionally delivering marijuana in Texas: 

• Less than ¼ ounces: Up to 180 days in prison and up to a $2,000 fine for simple possession and up to one year in prison and up to a $4,000 fine for an intent to sell
• ¼ ounces – 5 pounds: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 180 days to 2 years in prison
• 5 pounds – 50 pounds: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 2 years to 20 years in prison
• 50 pounds – 2,000 pounds: Up to a $10,000 fine and a minimum of 5 to 99 years in prison 
• Over 2,000 pounds: Up to a $100,000 fine and a minimum of 10 to 99 years in prison

The experienced drug trafficking defense lawyers at Mary E. Conn & Associates will fight to minimize or drop the drug trafficking charges against you by crafting individualized defense strategies based on the circumstances of your case. 

Penalties for Federal Drug Trafficking

Federal drug trafficking penalties cover the following illegal drugs and controlled substances: 

• Cocaine (Schedule II)
• Cocaine Base (Schedule II)
• Fentanyl (Schedule II)
• Heroin (Schedule I)
• LSD (Schedule I)
• Methamphetamine (Schedule II)
• PCP (Schedule II)

Penalties vary depending on the quantity and criminal history. For example, for a first offense, you may receive up to 5 years to 40 years in prison. If death or serious injury resulted from your criminal offense, you may face up to 20 to life. You may be subject to a $5 million fine if it’s for an individual offense or $25 million if it is not an individual. For a second offense, you may receive up to 10 years to life imprisonment. If death or serious injury resulted from your criminal offense, you may receive life imprisonment with an $8 million individual fine or $50 million if not an individual.  

What Our Dedicated Attorneys Can Do For You

The manner in which you were arrested for drug possession or drug trafficking in Houston can often prove to be a pivotal moment in your defense.  An arresting officer must have a search warrant to search your home, or probable cause to search your car or your person.  If the officer cannot prove either existed, or the officer acted outside of the bounds of their abilities, evidence may be suppressed.  This can also lead to the dismissal of charges against you.  Additionally, the amount of substance must be carefully weighed and submitted as evidence.  In many instances, a small amount can make a big difference, even the difference between a misdemeanor charge and a felony charge.

Therefore, it is important to discuss the facts and circumstances of your case with a Houston drug trafficking defense lawyer , being careful to relay everything that occurred at the time of the arrest.

Contact Our Houston Drug Trafficking Defense Attorneys Now

If you have been arrested on drug trafficking charges in Houston, it is important to remember that a drug trafficking arrest is not a conviction. The legal team at Mary E. Conn & Associates is experienced in defending their clients and protecting them from the legal repercussions associated with drug offenses. Drug trafficking punishments can lead to a drastic alteration to a defendant’s life, as a criminal conviction can impact the ability to hold a job, retain custody of children, or even vote. Do not wait! 

Contact one of our drug trafficking defense lawyers at our Houston offices today at (713) 357-4190 or fill out a contact form for your initial free consultation. Our firm is located just twenty minutes from the Harris County Courthouse.

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