Oxycodone Trafficking

Oxycodone is a potent and semisynthetic opioid that doctors usually prescribe to treat pain. Oxycodone can be habit-forming and is sometimes abused by combining the drug with other drugs that impair breathing or cause drowsiness. Oxycodone can cause life-threatening breathing problems and can kill someone who mixes it with alcohol or drugs. You can be charged with oxycodone trafficking if you are caught with a threshold amount. These are very serious charges, and if you are convicted, you will be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence. The judge will not have discretion to reduce your sentence, as they would with other types of drug crimes. Accordingly, you should consult a Clearwater oxycodone trafficking lawyer as soon as you realize that you are being investigated. At Hanlon Law, we strongly believe in protecting the rights of the accused.

Oxycodone is found in Percocet and Oxycontin. It is one of the most commonly abused prescription drugs. Often, people who abuse oxycodone take only the prescribed amount at first, but once their body starts to tolerate the drug, they require a greater dose in order to get the same relief. Oxycodone trafficking is taken seriously by the authorities, and you can be charged with it even if you just have 7 grams of oxycodone or an oxycodone-containing mixture. The charge can be brought even if it is 7 grams of oxycodone mixed with other drugs or fillers. The overall weight is what counts.

If you have the threshold amount of 7 grams, you can be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence, even if you have been a model citizen for your entire life. There are very limited circumstances in which a downward departure may be possible, and an oxycodone trafficking attorney can advise Clearwater residents on when these may apply. A prosecutor hoping to secure a conviction for oxycodone trafficking must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you: (1) knowingly (2) actually or constructively possessed, manufactured, sold, bought, delivered, or imported into the state (3) at least 7 grams of oxycodone.

There are graded penalties depending on the quantity at issue. When the amount at issue is 7-14 grams, the mandatory minimum sentence is 3 years incarcerated and a $50,000 fine. When the amount at issue is 14-25 grams, the mandatory minimum sentence is 7 years and a $100,000 fine. When the amount at issue is 25-100 grams of oxycodone, the mandatory minimum prison sentence is 15 years and a $500,000 fine. When the amount at issue is 100 grams-30 kg., the mandatory minimum sentence is 25 years of imprisonment and a $750,000 fine. In addition to a mandatory minimum sentence, you will also face a social stigma that can make it hard to rent a home or get a job, the loss of certain civil rights, and the potential loss of a professional license. A Clearwater oxycodone trafficking attorney can fight for you to avoid these consequences.

It is a first-degree felony to traffic in 30 kg. or more of oxycodone or an oxycodone-containing mixture. That means that you could face life in prison with no possibility for discretionary early release. If you import into the state 60 kg. or more of an oxycodone-containing mixture, knowing that the probable consequence is someone's death, you could be charged with capital importing, a capital felony.

You should not assume that a conviction is assured, even if there are multiple trafficking charges being leveled against you. An experienced Clearwater criminal defense attorney will look at the circumstances to determine an appropriate defense strategy. In some cases, there are procedural or Fourth Amendment violations in connection with the evidence. For example, if the oxycodone was found during an illegal DUI stop of your car that lacked a reasonable suspicion, it may be possible to get the evidence suppressed. Sometimes there is a valid prescription.

If you are being investigated for oxycodone trafficking, you should get an experienced attorney on your side as soon as possible. The earlier that our firm is involved, the greater is the likelihood that we will be able to mount a strong defense. Our founder, Will Hanlon, has been dedicated to providing a vigorous defense in drug trafficking cases involving oxycodone, morphine, GHB, hydrocodone, cocaine, and other substances since 1994. You can contact Hanlon Law at 727.897.5413 or via our online form.