Illinois Federal Drug Trafficking Lawyers

Trusted Federal Drug Trafficking Attorney Serving Clients in Illinois Throughout the U.S.

If police find a small amount of drugs on you, but you are not accused of committing any other crime, you could face charges of drug possession. However, if the amount of drugs you have is more than what is considered "personal use," or if there are other factors indicating that you are involved in manufacturing or distributing this substance, you will likely face drug trafficking charges. If the investigation falls under federal jurisdiction, you could be charged with the serious offense of federal drug trafficking.

At Komie and Associates, we know that federal drug trafficking charges can lead to significant prison time if you do not have the right federal criminal defense attorney fighting for you and protecting your rights. According to federal statistics, approximately 97 percent of the people convicted of drug trafficking are sentenced to prison, with an average sentence of more than 80 months (6.5 years).

Penalties for Federal Drug Trafficking Convictions

Federal drug trafficking charges and penalties are usually impacted by the category of the drug in question. Under the U.S. Controlled Substances Act (CSA), there are five schedules of drugs, with Schedule I drugs considered to be the most dangerous.

You will receive a minimum five-year prison sentence if you are convicted for the first time of trafficking the following amounts of these drugs:

• Cocaine – 500 grams or more
• Crack cocaine – 28 grams or more
• Heroin – 100 grams or more
• LSD – 1 gram or more
• Marijuana – 100 kilograms or more
• Methamphetamines – 5 grams or more
• Pure PCP – 10 grams or more

If convicted of trafficking any of the following amounts, you will receive a mandatory minimum 10-year federal prison sentence:

• Cocaine – 5 kilograms or more
• Crack cocaine – 280 grams or more
• Heroin – 1 kilogram or more
• LSD – 10 grams or more
• Marijuana – 1,000 kilograms or more
• Methamphetamines – 50 grams or more
• Pure PCP – 100 grams or more

If you are convicted of a second offense, you face a mandatory 20 years in prison. A third offense can mean a life sentence.

Other factors that can increase the severity of a sentence include:

• Someone suffered a serious bodily injury or died as a result of the drug trafficking
• The trafficking occurred near a federal facility or a school
• You were allegedly carrying a firearm during the trafficking
• You were allegedly using a minor in the trafficking operations

At Komie and Associates, we have successfully defended clients facing all kinds of federal drug trafficking charges, including charges of federal conspiracy to traffic drugs and attempted drug trafficking. You could serve decades in prison without the right attorney defending you.

In addition to jail time, anyone accused of federal drug trafficking can face asset forfeiture, and their money or property may be seized by law enforcement. Our attorneys can help address the seizure of your assets and work to ensure that your money or property will be returned to you. We helped one client recover more than $300,000 that federal agents had seized years before. Our client was never charged with a crime, but the government refused to return his assets until we stepped in and advocated for his rights.

Contact Our Chicago Federal Drug Trafficking Lawyers

If you have been charged with federal drug trafficking, call Komie and Associates right away. Our defense lawyers have more than four decades of experience successfully defending clients against both state and federal drug crimes. Some of our case victories include:

• Two brothers accused of cocaine trafficking, manufacturing, and delivery were both facing up to 30 years in prison. Our firm got the charges reduced to a probational offense, and both brothers were released.
• A client pled guilty to cocaine distribution and was facing a 20-year prison sentence. We were able to get the sentence reduced to eight years, with credit for time already served.
• A client was facing more than 10 years in prison for heroin distribution. Our firm was able to get his sentence reduced to just two years due to extenuating circumstances.

Make sure you have the seasoned and aggressive representation you need to fight these charges. Contact our office at 312-263-2800 to schedule a confidential consultation with one of our dedicated Illinois federal drug trafficking lawyers. We represent clients throughout the state of Illinois and beyond.