St. Petersburg Federal Drug Lawyer

All drug crimes are serious. However, when you are facing federal charges, the stakes are often even higher. You need to make sure you work with a law office that has the skills, dedication, experience, and knowledge to help.

A seasoned St. Petersburg federal drug lawyer will be on your side and willing to fight for you and help you. Our law office has a proven track record of success with federal drug cases. We understand the legal process and can help you devise effective defense strategies to protect your rights.

Differences Between Federal and State Drug Cases

When a drug case is in a federal court, prosecutors often have strong evidence. Many federal drug cases appear in court only after extensive investigations by federal officers and prosecutors. When these federal drug cases get to court, they can proceed faster than state drug cases because of the extensive investigation done on the cases before filing charges against the accused. In addition, federal drug case prosecutors often have more incriminating evidence on their side as a result of using video and camera surveillance or wiretaps to catch the accused in the act.

Although federal prosecutors can legally bring drug cases to federal courts in most instances, most commonly, drug cases reach federal courts when they involve the following:

  • The arrest occurs on federal property, such as inside a federal building
  • A federal law enforcement officer performed the arrest
  • The defendant allegedly took the drugs across state lines
  • Federal prosecutors decided to take over a state drug case
  • The case could involve organized crime or a large conspiracy
  • The case involves a large amount of drugs
  • The federal government is cracking down on drugs and crimes in a particular area

Regardless of the reason for a case being in federal court, it is critical to work with a St. Petersburg attorney who has significant experience handling drug cases in federal courts.

Defense Strategies in Federal Drug Cases

Defendants have several arguments they could present to defend against the charges.

Violation of Constitutional Rights

A defendant could argue that the evidence was obtained and seized illegally. For instance, they could show that the police did not have a valid search warrant to enter the property or car or that the drugs they found were beyond the scope of the search warrant. A seasoned St. Petersburg attorney could file a motion to suppress the drugs seized in the invalid search warrant by the federal government. If they are successful with this argument, a court could potentially exclude the drugs from the prosecution’s case, making a conviction hard to obtain.

Similarly, a defendant might be able to argue that the arresting officer violated their constitutional rights, such as by denying them access to an attorney. If a court deems that an arrest was unconstitutional, the court would likely dismiss the case.

Attack the Evidence

A skilled local attorney can carefully review and attack each element of the prosecution’s case. They could search for inconsistencies and holes in the prosecution’s case in order to fight for an acquittal.

Plea Bargain

Sometimes, the evidence is too strong to get an outright dismissal or acquittal, and it is in the best interests of a defendant to accept a plea bargain for a lesser charge or lighter sentence. Many federal drug cases involve alleged conspiracies with multiple participants. Federal prosecutors are frequently willing to negotiate with people who have played lesser roles in the conspiracies in order to get them to testify against other parties who have played a larger role.

A skilled legal team can carefully negotiate for the best possible outcome and help a defendant understand the full ramifications of a potential plea deal.

Meet With a St. Petersburg Federal Drug Attorney

Facing federal drug charges can feel overwhelming. To secure yourself the best chance of preserving your freedom and protecting your rights, meet with a knowledgeable St. Petersburg federal drug lawyer. Our office will work tirelessly to fight for you.