Houston Federal Drug Crime Defense Attorney

Federal Drug Charges Lawyer in the City of Houston, TX, Advocates for Clients Facing Federal Controlled Substances Offenses in Harris County, Fort Bend County, Montgomery County, and Throughout Texas

Federal drug crime laws are some of the harshest laws on the board. You may face decades in prison for many federal drug offenses. To protect your freedom and future, you need an experienced Houston federal drug crime defense attorney from Chernoff Law. I am attorney Ed Chernoff, and I have been practicing criminal law for over 35 years. I’ve worked on both sides of criminal cases, having previously served as a Harris County prosecutor for five years. When I left the DA’s office, I chose to use the experience and insights I gained there to protect the rights and interests of people facing criminal prosecution. Since then, I’ve helped thousands of clients resolve their criminal matters, including having taken over 150 cases to trial. 

Reach out to my criminal defense firm for a free initial case review to discuss your legal options for resolving your charges with a federal drug charges lawyer in the City of Houston, TX. Federal drug convictions carry serious penalties, so do not wait to get the legal help you need to protect your freedom and future.

Federal Drug Crimes That Chernoff Law Can Help You With

I can help you defend yourself from federal drug charges such as:

• Distribution, manufacturing, or possession with intent to distribute – 21 U.S.C. s. 841(a)(1)
• Drug conspiracy – 21 U.S.C. s. 846
• Obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation or fraud – 21 U.S.C. s. 843(a)(3)
• Use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug offense – 21 U.S.C. s. 843(b)
• Simple possession – 21 U.S.C. s. 844
• Operating a criminal drug enterprise – 21 U.S.C. s. 848
• Maintaining a drug-involved premises – 21 U.S.C. s. 856
• Engaging in interstate travel or use of the postal service to facilitate drug trafficking or other racketeering enterprises – 18 U.S.C. s. 1952

Penalties for a Federal Drug Conviction

Federal law imposes stiff penalties for most drug convictions. Penalties can include:

• Distribution, manufacturing, or possession with intent to distribute (including conspiracy): Up to 20 years imprisonment, although offenses may have a five year mandatory minimum and 40-year maximum or a 10-year mandatory minimum and maximum life term depending on the quantities of drugs involved
• Obtaining controlled substances through fraud or misrepresentation: Four year maximum sentence
• Use of a communication facility: Four year maximum for each single use of a communication facility to arrange a drug transaction
• Simple possession: Up to one year
• Criminal drug enterprise: Mandatory 20-year minimum sentence with a maximum of life imprisonment, or death penalty under certain circumstances
• Maintaining drug-involved premises: Up to 20 years
• Interstate travel or use of the postal service: Up to five years

Penalties for federal drug crimes can be increased if an offender has prior drug or violent crime convictions, if the offense resulted in serious bodily injury or death, or if the offense took place near a school, playground, public recreational center, or public housing.

Defense to Federal Drug Charges

Potential defenses that can be raised against federal drug charges include:

• Unlawful search and seizure, which may result in the drugs themselves being excluded from evidence
• Lack of evidence of actual or constructive possession of the charges
• Faulty lab analysis that calls the identity of the substance seized by police into question
• Fabricated or planted evidence
• False testimony from investigators or confidential informants
• Entrapment
• Lack of knowledge of participation in a drug offense, such as being asked to ship a package containing drugs when you do not know what the contents of the package are

What Can a Houston Federal Drug Crime Defense Attorney from Chernoff Law Do to Help You Pursue a Favorable Resolution to Your Charges

If you have been charged with federal drug crimes, your future and reputation are at stake. Federal law imposes harsh penalties for many drug offenses, with convicted defendants often being sentenced to years in prison and tens of thousands of dollars in fines. You need experienced legal counsel from a federal drug charges lawyer in the City of Houston, TX. Turn to my firm for help defending your interests. I will advocate on your behalf for a favorable outcome to your federal drug charges by:

• Independently investigating your case and securing any evidence that can be used to support your defense
• Taking time to understand your needs and goals in your case and answer questions you may have about your charges or the criminal justice process
• Protecting your constitutional rights by challenging government evidence that may have been obtained in an unlawful search or interrogation
• Testing the case against you by moving to dismiss or reduce your charges on grounds of insufficient or unreliable evidence
• Negotiating a plea agreement, if appropriate, to help you avoid the maximum possible consequences of a conviction
• Advocating your defense at trial if you decide to fight your charges

Contact a Federal Drug Charges Lawyer in the City of Houston, TX, from Chernoff Law to Learn More About Your Options in Your Case

Contact me today for a confidential consultation if you have been charged with federal drug offenses. I can answer your questions about what you can expect in the federal criminal justice system and discuss how a Houston federal drug crime defense attorney can make a difference in the outcome of your case. 

Houston Federal Drug Crime Defense Attorney Answers Frequently Asked Questions About Federal Drug Crimes in Houston, TX