Cherokee County Drug Trafficking Attorney

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The war on drugs is alive and well in the Georgia criminal justice system. You may be surprised the amounts of each drug that Georgia law considers to be Drug Trafficking. While selling drugs of any kind is against the law and considered a felony, there is a threshold for each drug that will bump the case into drug trafficking. Drug trafficking has significantly harsher penalties than a simple Possession charge or even Possession with Intent to Distribute. Drug trafficking also can make obtaining a bond more difficult at the onset of the case because only a Superior Court Judge can grant bond in these situations. This can be an issue since the first Judge people typically see after arrest is a Magistrate Judge at First Appearance, and Magistrate Judges do not have authority to grant a bond in Drug Trafficking cases in Georgia. In some courts, Magistrate Judges “sit in designation” and can in fact handle bond hearings for trafficking charges. If this is not the case, attorneys must request a hearing by a Superior Court Judge in order to request a bond.

 

What is considered drug trafficking?

Simply possessing the following amounts will be considered Drug Trafficking under Georgia law, even if there is no evidence of selling or delivering it.

Methamphetamine: 28 grams or more

Heroin: 4 grams or more

Cocaine: 28 grams or more

Marijuana: 10 pounds

 

How much time am I facing if I am charged with Drug Trafficking in Cherokee County?

The short answer is it depends. Each drug and amount has a different mandatory minimum sentence. For example, if you have anywhere between 28 grams and 200 grams of cocaine, Georgia law requires a sentence with a minimum 10 years and $200,000 fine. Those numbers go up with every amount over 200 grams.

If you are charged with trafficking marijuana in Georgia, and the amount seized was somewhere between 10 pounds and 2,000 pounds, it is a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a $100,000 fine.  Similarly, these numbers will also go up for every amount over 2,000 pounds.

See O.C.G.A. § 16-13-31 for all mandatory minimum sentencing according to type of drug and amount seized. There is a lot of negotiation that can occur in these cases to avoid mandatory minimum sentencing.

 

There are defenses to Drug Trafficking in Georgia

Drug trafficking cases typically implicate the Fourth Amendment more than any other type of case. Each of us has a Constitutional right to be free from unreasonable search and seizures. Each case is different and must be carefully analyzed in terms of whether the police officers acted lawfully in the search and seizure of the drugs. For example, if the officers had no right to enter your trunk or your safe in the closet, the drugs and case can be thrown out. Likewise, if the search warrant is not valid, or they did not get a warrant, this is another defense to getting the drugs suppressed or excluded.

Drug trafficking in Georgia and in Cherokee County carries significant sentences, and the legal motions must be filed very early on in the case in order to preserve the issue and allow us to argue the suppression of the drugs. If you or a loved one has been arrested and charged with Drug Trafficking in Cobb County, reach out today for a FREE CONSULTATION with the experienced lawyers of W. Scott Smith by calling 404-581-0999.

 

Marijuana Offenses in Georgia

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There are several ways the State can charge you with marijuana offenses in Georgia:

  • Possession of Less Than an Ounce– If you are arrested with less than an ounce of marijuana, you will be charged with a misdemeanor. The penalty includes up to a $1,000 fine and up to 12 months in jail.
  • Possession of More Than an Ounce– If you are arrested with more than an ounce of marijuana, you will be charged with a felony. The penalty is 1-10 years and a fine.
  • Possession With Intent to Distribute– If you are arrested with marijuana and the State can prove that you intended to distribute the marijuana, they can charge you with possession with intent to distribute. The intent part of the charge requires proof by the State, but they can prove you intended to distribute the marijuana by bringing in witnesses to testify or with other evidence such as scales or packaging material. If you are found guilty of possession with intent to distribute, the first offense carries a possible prison sentence of 1-10 years. A second or subsequent offense carries a mandatory 10 years in prison and up to 40 years.
  • Trafficking Marijuana– If you are arrested with more than 10 pounds of marijuana, you will be charged with trafficking marijuana. The State only has to prove that you knowingly possessed the marijuana, not that you knew the weight of the marijuana. If the weight of the drug is 10-2,000 pounds, the penalty is 5 years in prison and a $100,000 fine. If the weight of the drug is 2,000-10,000 pounds, the penalty is 7 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If the weight is more than 10,000 pounds, the penalty is 15 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

If you are charged with a marijuana offense, it is important to hire an experienced attorney to help defend you. First, it is important that the search that resulted in the drugs being found did not violate your constitutional rights. Next, the lawyers at W. Scott Smith will explore your possible defenses, such as lack of intent or lack of knowledge. The lawyers at W. Scott Smith have years of experience defending marijuana offenses. If you are charged in Fulton, Gwinnett, Cobb, Clayton, Dekalb, Cherokee, Fayette, or Barrow County, call our office at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation.

Was my search warrant obtained properly?

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In order for an investigator to obtain a search warrant, they have to prove to a magistrate judge that they have probable cause that a criminal activity occurred or is occurring. Probable cause basically means that investigators can communicate a “reasonable belief” that a criminal activity is taking place. Investigating officers have to lay out this probable cause in an affidavit attached to an application for search warrant. Then, a magistrate judge will review the affidavit and application and grant or deny the warrant. In addition to the written affidavit, magistrates may consider oral testimony of the officers during the warrant application process.

In Georgia, the courts have laid out several scenarios that instruct when probable cause has or has not been communicated. For example, a tip from a confidential informant in a drug case is not enough to establish probable cause. The tip would have to be corroborated by other circumstances. However, if police come to your door and you voluntarily speak with them and admit to a crime, there is enough probable cause to obtain a search warrant.

If a warrant is granted and it lacked probable cause, the warrant is bad and any search resulting from the warrant violates your Fourth Amendment rights. In this case, you need a lawyer to argue that your rights have been violated and that any evidence obtained during the execution of the bad search warrant must be suppressed.

At the Law Offices of W. Scott Smith, we are experienced at spotting issues with search warrants and often successful at having evidence suppressed. Often, after a judge has ruled that evidence must be suppressed, prosecutors are more willing to negotiate or even dismiss charges because they no longer have a strong case. If you are in Cobb, Clayton. Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, or Rockdale County and are charged with a serious offense like Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substance Act, trafficking drugs, or possession of drugs with the intent to distribute and believe that your Fourth Amendment rights have been violated by a warrant lacking probable cause, call us for a free consultation at 404-581-0999.

What to do if you are arrested for marijuana trafficking at the airport ?

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Imagine you have just flown into Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. You get off the plane and proceed to baggage claim. After you grab your bag, you are approached by several people who identify themselves as law enforcement. They ask to search your luggage and you agree. A search reveals a large quantity of marijuana and you have no idea how it got in your bag. You are now facing marijuana trafficking charges in Clayton County, Georgia.

Trafficking marijuana is defined as selling, manufacturing, growing, delivering, or possessing more than 10 pounds or marijuana. If the amount of marijuana is greater than 10 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds, the law requires a mandatory minimum 5 year prison sentence plus a $100,000 fine. If the quantity involved is greater than 2,000 pounds but less than 10,000 pounds, there is a 7 year mandatory minimum prison sentence plus a $250,000 fine. Finally, if the quantity of marijuana is greater than 10,000 pounds, the person shall be sentenced to a mandatory minimum prison sentence of at least 15 years as well as a fine of $1,000,000.

Although the above sentences are described as “mandatory minimum prison” sentences, there are a few limited ways in which someone convicted of marijuana trafficking may be sentenced to less prison time than what is required by the mandatory minimums: (1) If the defendant provides “substantial assistance” to the government in identifying, arresting, and/or convicting other people involved in the drug conspiracy, the prosecutor may move the court to reduce or suspend part or all of the defendant’s sentence; (2) by agreement of the parties through a “negotiated plea”; or (3) the judge may depart from these mandatory minimums if certain mitigating factors exist (no prior felonies, no firearm used, defendant not head of conspiracy, nobody was injured as a result of criminal conduct, or if the interests of justice would not be served by imposing a mandatory minimum sentence).

Clayton County

If you have been arrested in Clayton County for marijuana trafficking at Hartsfield-Jackson airport, the first and most important step is getting a bond. Only a superior court judge may set bail on a trafficking charge. When considering whether to grant a bond the judge analyzes four factors, whether the defendant is a significant risk of:

  1. Fleeing from the jurisdiction of the court
  2. Posing a threat or danger to any person
  3. Committing a felony while on pre-trial release
  4. Intimidating witnesses

Our firm can get the prosecutor to consent to a bond in the case if you have ties to the community and meet the above factors. In Clayton County, bonds for trafficking range from $50,000 up to $125,000. The judge may also impose non-monetary restrictions (house arrest, no contact provisions, GPS ankle monitor, curfew, etc.). There is always the possibility, however, that a judge will deny setting a bond in the case, even if the bond was consented to. If the prosecutor will not agree to a bond, then the defendant will have to go before the judge and offer evidence of defendant’s ties to the communities (length of residence, family ties, employment status and history, history of responding to legal process – failure to appears or probation violations, lack of criminal history).

If a bond is granted, the next step is fighting the case. Once all the evidence is gathered through the discovery process and our firm’s own independent investigation, we then speak with the Clayton County District Attorney’s Office in an attempt to discuss a resolution. IF a resolution cannot be reached, then we will schedule the case for a motions hearing and jury trial.

Contact Us

If you or someone you know has been arrested for drug trafficking, contact the law firm of W. Scott Smith at 404.581.0999 today.

 

What to do if arrested for Possession of Drugs or Possession with Intent in Cobb County?

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If you are arrested for any drug offense in Cobb County, do not make any statements to the police. You will be taken to the Cobb County Jail. You will be on the first appearance calendar the following day. It is important to have an attorney for this court appearance. The courtroom for the first appearance and bond hearing is in Cobb County Magistrate Court.

At your first appearance hearing, the Cobb County Magistrate Court judge will review the facts in the warrant and your criminal history and will decide whether to issue you a bond or not. The Chief Magistrate Judge is Brendan Murphy. Either Judge Murphy or one of the other Magistrate Judges will preside over your initial hearing. There are a few options regarding bond. The first is they may give you an unsecured judicial release. This allows you to get out of jail without paying any money. The next option is to give you a regular bond where you would have to go through a bonding company to be released. The final option is that they deny your bond. In Cobb County, in most drug cases, bond is set at first appearance.

Once you are released from the Cobb County jail, please ask any person who was with you that night to write out a statement of what they remember happening the night of the arrest. This could be helpful in preparing for the motions hearing and trial in Cobb County Superior Court. It is also important for you to write out a statement of anything you remember regarding the incident. Only give this statement to your attorney.

It is important that you hire an attorney quickly as there are tight deadlines on filing a Motion to Suppress which is a constitutional challenge to the drug evidence. Most drug cases are either won or lost at the Motions hearing. If you wait too long, you will be unable to file a Motion to Suppress.

Being convicted of a felony drug offense in Cobb County carries many consequences, including, but not limited to, prison time, a felony drug conviction on your record, loss of gun rights, loss of voting rights and has a detrimental impact on your securing a loan from a bank or employment.

You are welcome to call us 24/7 at 404-581-0999 and we will be there with you for your First Appearance hearing at the Cobb County jail.

Civil Asset Forfeiture- Rockdale Drug Cases

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Civil asset forfeiture allows the government to confiscate property that they deem as having been used in criminal activity. Civil asset forfeiture does not require a conviction or criminal charges being taken out.

In Georgia, civil asset forfeiture is a legal process, and it allows the government to seize your property that they claim is connected to a crime or would likely be used to commit a crime, especially a crime involving a controlled substance. The most seized property includes cash, cars, cell phones, firearms, and real estate.

If the police have seized your property in a civil asset forfeiture, you must act fast so that you do not lose what the police has taken. It is important that you hire an experienced attorney as soon as possible because there is a limited amount of time to object to the forfeiture.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for a drug offense and has had their property seized in Rockdale County, having a lawyer fight your case can result in a better outcome. Contact the Law Office of Scott Smith today for a free consultation at 404-581-0999.

What do you do if you are arrested for possession with intent or trafficking in drugs in Clayton County ?

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If you or a loved one is arrested for Possession with Intent to Distribute or Trafficking in Clayton County, it is important that you act immediately to protect yourself. Do not wait until your court date to get an attorney and to preserve evidence.

The Clayton County District Attorney has a dedicated division to prosecute cases involving Possession with Intent to Distribute or Trafficking. They will vigorously prosecute you if you are charged with a crime involving selling cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, marijuana or other illegal drugs.

Do not think that just because you are innocent that the charges will be dismissed. Drug charges are aggressively prosecuted in Clayton County.

Make sure your attorney has had felony jury trials and has won these cases. Do not let an attorney handle your case who does not specifically handle drug cases. Many drug cases are won at a motions hearing. It is imperative that you get body cams, dash cams, search warrants and take witness statements of anyone involved in the search and seizure of the drugs.

The law may say you are presumed innocent but in drug cases, you have to prove your innocence.

Here is what you should do if arrested for Possession with Intent to Distribute or Trafficking in Clayton County.

  1. Hire an attorney – Make sure that attorney actually handles and tries drug cases in Clayton County. Most criminal defense attorneys do not handle these cases. Make sure the attorney you talk to does regularly handles drug cases in Georgia
  2. Avoid making any statements – Do not walk into the Clayton County police department and profess your innocence. The police will not believe you. Do not think you can show up at your first court date and tell the prosecutor and judge that you are innocent and expect the charges to be dropped. If you are arrested for possession with intent to distribute or trafficking, you have to start preparing for your jury trial. Do not make any statements to anyone except your lawyer.
  3. Start gathering important evidence
    1. Gather and preserve any physical evidence in your possession.
    2. Gather and preserve any documents that might relate to this accusation including emails, texts, social media, phone records, GPS records, computer records or any other document that might show where you were when this incident allegedly occurred.
    3. Witnesses – Immediately make a list of any person who you think might have information about this accusation. Do not discuss the case with this person but pass this list of potential witnesses to your attorney and let your attorney contact them.

Here is what you should never do if arrested for possession with intent to distribute or trafficking in Clayton County.

  1. Never talk to law enforcement or the Clayton County District Attorney’s office without an attorney.

If you are arrested for possession with intent to distribute or trafficking in cocaine, heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine or any other illegal drug in Clayton County, please call our office 24/7 at 404-581-0999. We will sit down with you and fully discuss your case and what to expect in court. There is no charge for the initial consultation. You will only retain us if you feel we are the best law firm to represent you. It is your case and your life so you need to hire the lawyer that you feel gives you the best chance to win.

Possession with Intent to Distribute in Clayton County

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If you have been arrested for Possession with Intent to Distribute in Clayton County, it is imperative that you hire an attorney quickly. Possession with Intent to Distribute cases often are won by filing a Motion to Suppress. These motions must be filed within 10 days of arraignment. If you do not properly file them, they are waived and you will potentially lose the ability to beat your case.

Once you are arrested for possession with intent to distribute in Clayton County, you will be brought over to see a Clayton County Magistrate Court judge within the first 24 hours. At this hearing, the Magistrate judge will read the charges to you and possibly set a bond.

The statute says It is unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, distribute, dispense, administer, sell, or possession with the intent to distribute any controlled substance. O.C.G.A. 16-13-30(b).

What does the Clayton County District Attorney have to prove?

The Clayton County prosecutor must prove that the Defendant intended to sell or distribute the drug that is in his possession. If you are simply in possession of the drug but not intending to sell or distribute it, then you cannot be convicted of Possession with Intent.

However, even if you possess only a small amount of a drug, you can still be charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute. To prove intent to sell, the State would have to show evidence of baggies, a scale, large amount of currency or other drug paraphernalia. The Clayton County District Attorney could also show it through a prior conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute or expert testimony that the amount was consistent with someone selling it rather than just using for personal consumption.

If you are charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute in Clayton County, please call us at 404-581-0999 for a free consultation. We are located in downtown Atlanta.

Marijuana Trafficking at the Atlanta Airport

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News reports of airline travel being back to 90 percent of pre-covid flying will lead to more scrutiny at the airport for passengers flying into Atlanta’ s airport.  Atlanta has the world’s largest airport: Jackson-Hartsfield International Airport.  In a discussion I had with a DEA agent, he told me on every flight from California, Arizona, and Colorado there will be a passenger on the flight with a large amount of trafficking marijuana.  Even though Marijuana is legal in some states, it is still illegal in Georgia.  If you get stopped by Clayton County, Drug Enforcement Agents or Atlanta Police, and you are found to be carrying greater than ten pounds of marijuana in your luggage you will be arrested for Marijuana Trafficking and taken to the Clayton County Jail.  In all cases, the first appearance judge will deny you a bond.  On every case our firm has been hired to assist couriers charged with marijuana trafficking in Atlanta, we have been able to get the client a bond in Clayton County.  In order to get a bond, you need to acquire copies of the warrants and incident reports.  The state’s prosecutor in Clayton County will want to run the subject’s criminal history.  Once those items are acquired, you can get a consent bond and bond out of jail.  It is also helpful if the person traveling has money (shows they are a courier and not seller), they fly very infrequently and they were cooperative to law enforcement.  However, people flying should never consent to a search of their luggage, as consent is voluntary and nobody should be subject to search of their person or personal effects such as luggage without a warrant.  If you or a loved one gets charged with marijuana trafficking at the Atlanta Airport, please do not hesitate to call our law office so we can assist with representation.  Our phone number is 404-581-0999.

Civil Asset Forfeiture- Coweta Drug Cases

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Civil asset forfeiture allows the government to confiscate property that they deem as having been used in criminal activity. Civil asset forfeiture does not require a conviction or criminal charges being taken out.

In Georgia, civil asset forfeiture is a legal process, and it allows the government to seize your property that they claim is connected to a crime or would likely be used to commit a crime, especially a crime involving a controlled substance. The most seized property includes cash, cars, cell phones, firearms, and real estate.

If the police have seized your property in a civil asset forfeiture, you must act fast so that you do not lose what the police has taken. It is important that you hire an experienced attorney as soon as possible because there is a limited amount of time to object to the forfeiture.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for a drug offense and has had their property seized, having a lawyer fight your case can result in a better outcome. Contact the Law Office of Scott Smith today for a free consultation at 404-581-0999.