Massachusetts Drug Trafficking Defense Lawyer

Drug trafficking cases are the most serious drug charges prosecutors have available to them under Massachusetts law. All Massachusetts trafficking charges carry a mandatory minimum prison sentence if a defendant is convicted. The amount of drugs involved in a particular case determines if prosecutors and police can bring a trafficking case against a defendant. All trafficking cases are felonies, and can only be prosecuted in Superior Court.

In Massachusetts, the amount of heroin needed for prosecutors and police to file trafficking charges is only 14 grams. If a defendant is convicted of trafficking between 14 and 28 grams of heroin, the judge must sentence the defendant to a mandatory minimum penalty of five years and can sentence a defendant to up to twenty years in state prison. If the charge is for between 28 and 100 grams of heroin, the mandatory minimum upon a conviction is seven years in state prison with a maximum penalty of twenty years. If the amount in question is between 100 and 200 grams, the mandatory minimum is ten years and the maximum is twenty years. For all amounts exceeding 200 grams, the mandatory minimum upon a conviction is fifteen years in state prison with a maximum penalty of twenty years.

Cocaine trafficking laws in Massachusetts use the same weight differentials to determining sentencing as the heroin laws, however the penalties are different. For between 14 and 28 grams, the mandatory minimum is three years with a maximum of fifteen years in state prison. When the amount is between 28 and 100 grams, the mandatory minimum increases to five years and the maximum increases to twenty years in state prison. For amounts between 100 and 200 grams, the penalty is the same as heroin, 10 year mandatory minimum with a maximum of twenty years. For amounts over 200 grams, the mandatory minimum is fifteen years with a maximum of twenty years.

Marijuana trafficking is unique from other kinds of drug trafficking in that the amounts of marijuana required for police and prosecutors to use the trafficking statute are exponentially higher than any other substance. The lowest level trafficking case for marijuana still requires that the defendant be in possession of 50 pounds of marijuana. For cases where the amount of marijuana in question is between 50 and 100 pounds, the mandatory minimum sentence is one year in prison, with a maximum of fifteen years. Amounts between 100 pounds and 2,000 pounds draw a mandatory minimum penalty of three years and a maximum of fifteen years. When a case involves between 2,000 and 10,000 pounds, a mandatory minimum of five years applies, with a maximum of fifteen years. Any amount of 10,000 pound or more draws a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years, with a maximum of fifteen years.

If you are facing a charge of trafficking for any substance, it is absolutely essential that you are represented by an aggressive, committed Massachusetts drug trafficking defense lawyer. With so much on the line, you will need an attorney that gives your case the attention and focus it deserves. Often times a motion to suppress may be the best way to fight a trafficking charge. You need an attorney who can prepare and conduct a motion to suppress hearing that will attack every point of police procedure in your case. Massachusetts drug trafficking defense lawyer Daniel Cappetta is available for a free consultation to discuss your trafficking case. He can help you evaluate your case and will give you an outline of what strategies may be the best defense in your case. If you are facing the severe penalties associated with a drug trafficking case, contact Attorney Cappetta today at (508) 762-4540 or use the form on this website.