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Drug Conspiracy cases involve two or more people working together to commit a criminal act. However, the agreement alone is enough to constitute the crime of conspiracy. The individuals involved need not complete the act, but if they succeed. They can be charged with both conspiracy and the underlying offense.
If you were charged with conspiracy to manufacture or distribute controlled substances, you could face serious penalties, including jail time. An Amarillo drug conspiracy lawyer could carefully scrutinize the evidence against you and pursue all available defenses. Contact an experienced criminal attorney today to discuss your case.
Conspiracy Charges in State and Federal Court
Drug conspiracy charges could be filed in either state or federal court, depending on the circumstances. However, most conspiracies involving drugs in Amarillo lead to federal charges. The accused individual would need an attorney who is licensed to practice in the Northern District of Texas. Which has divisions in Amarillo, Lubbock, and Abilene. These cases could involve large-scale drug manufacturing or trafficking operations that cross state lines. Federal drug charges are especially serious since they sometimes carry mandatory minimum sentences.
A lot of cases at the state level concern possession with intent to distribute and may include a money-laundering count. The State will try to prove that a group of people had the intent to launder the money that they obtained from the sale of the drugs. These charges can range up to high-level felonies, which can potentially carry life in prison.
How Law Enforcement Handles Drug Conspiracy Investigations
During state-level drug investigations, law enforcement often employs:
- Undercover officers or agents
- Confidential informants,
- Data and other information from cellphones and computers
- Vehicle tracking technology
- Other techniques to find and stop the flow of drugs and money
In many cases, law enforcement’s primary goal is to target the person who they believe is most involved in the drug operation. They may use charges against co-conspirators as a way to obtain more information.
One of the most difficult parts of a conspiracy charge to prove is the intent of the accused. To prove this element, law enforcement may use information gathered from banking records, wiretaps, or other means. They may also call confidential informants to testify, and there may be undercover police officers who testify about their interactions with the defendant. These methods are fairly common in conspiracy cases.
What to Look for in an Amarillo Drug Conspiracy Attorney
When a person is charged with drug possession, intent to distribute, or conspiracy, they should seek out a reputable law firm that aggressively pursues all available defenses from the beginning of the case. Above all, a skilled drug conspiracy attorney should have experience interacting with the police to determine how the arrest came to be and how the drugs or conspiracy was identified.
Drug conspiracy cases in state or federal court can be extremely complicated, and it can be difficult for a general practitioner to effectively represent the accused. Dedicated criminal defense attorneys who have handled similar cases in the past are often in the best position to mount a credible defense. Furthermore, contact our Amarillo drug conspiracy lawyer today to discuss your case.