Charlotte and the surrounding communities have been designated a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) meaning that local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are targeting this area a as a hotbed for drug trafficking activity both in North Carolina and outside the state. The easy accessibility provided by the major interstate systems that connect Charlotte to Atlanta, GA; Columbia, SC; and other major cities within North Carolina itself make this a hotspot for illegal drug distribution.
Drug trafficking is a serious crime and is punishable at both the state and federal levels. In North Carolina, a conviction for conspiracy to traffic drugs or for drug trafficking will trigger the application of harsh mandatory minimum sentences. Trafficking in marijuana that would be classed as a Class H felony would mean a minimum of 25 months in prison; North Carolina structured sentencing would otherwise call for a 5-6 month sentence for this level of a felony.
An experienced drug trafficking defense lawyer is your best option against these serious criminal charges. There are ways to challenge and even beat a drug trafficking charge, depending on the specific facts involved in your case. Simply negotiating for a reduction of drug trafficking charges to attempted drug trafficking will get you back into the normal sentencing grid – looking at 5-6 months rather than 25-39 months in prison for a first offense.
Your defense lawyer may be able to argue for a dismissal of drug trafficking charges or a reduction of felony drug charges to a lesser sentence if there were constitutional issues with the search that lead to the discovery of drugs in your possession, dispute as to the quantity of drugs involved or conflict over whether you had the drugs, among many options. If you were arrested, you need an attorney. Don’t try to talk your way out of drug trafficking charges.