Defending your Federal Drug Possession Charge with the Help of the Right Federal Criminal Defense Attorney

July 7, 2020

St. Lucie County Federal Criminal Defense Attorney

In 1971, President Richard Nixon called for a “war on drugs” and declared that drug abuse was “public enemy number one.” Since then, the face of law enforcement has changed across the country. Our criminal justice system is no longer primarily concerned with preventing violent crimes above all else. They now focus on addicts and other low-level drug offenders as their highest priority.

The war on drugs set in motion a tough-on-crime policy agenda that continues to produce disastrous results in the present day. Policymakers passed harsher sentencing laws and increased enforcement actions, especially for low-level drug offenses. Today, drug crimes comprise most of the criminal prosecutions in this country. State and Federal prisons are filled with those who have committed non-violent offenses but have merely faced a personal battle affecting millions across America. Substance misuse should be treated as a public health issue – not a criminal justice issue.
Federal drug statues have been expanded time and time again. We are now faced with a situation where individuals who make a single mistake can spend years in prison. The outcomes are often unjust, and the mass media pays considerably less attention to the fundamental injustice that is now commonplace in this war that the government continues to wage. Decades of harsh and extreme sentencing have left us with the world’s highest incarceration rate. Penalties are too severe, the policing too aggressive, and the prosecutorial power too one-sided.
Federal law enforcement agents and prosecutors have spent countless hours and dollars fighting the “war on drugs.” Although many believe this is a war that cannot be won, this has not stopped the government from investigating and prosecuting individuals for trafficking, manufacturing or possessing drugs.
While the U.S. government generally pursues cases involving large quantities of drugs, they have been experimenting with a new bottom-up approach. They target lower-level users in order to identify dealers. You can face federal charges for even minimal offenses if you were apprehended by a federal agent. Federal drug laws are extraordinarily complex and can involve various sentencing enhancements that may dramatically affect one’s life. Facing federal drug charges is frightening for anyone. Their future, freedom and reputation are on the line.
The crime of drug possession is especially vulnerable to inequality and abuse because it targets those who have only a small quantity of a substance in their possession. Usually, this possession is intended for personal use, rather than sale to another person. Unfortunately, many of these people just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some may be arrested when trying a substance for the first time.
The federal government consistently tries to get the harshest possible penalties for defendants in drug cases. With an aggressive federal criminal defense attorney on your side there is hope. If you are looking for a fearless, dedicated, and well-experienced advocate who will not make mistakes then you should contact the Law Office of Brian H. Mallonee at (772) 464-1991.
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