Federal Drug Crimes Remain Common in Chicago

 Posted on November 14, 2022 in Federal Crimes

The United States Department of Justice and various United States Attorney’s Offices throughout the Illinois area were very busy in October detailing multiple stories of major drug charges in and around Chicago. On October 20, the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced 10 people were charged with federal drug conspiracy for allegedly conspiring to distribute at least 35 kilograms of fentanyl-laced heroin and crack cocaine on the West Side of Chicago.

The day before that, the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Wisconsin announced that a Chicago man was charged with drug offenses involving heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine that were punishable by several decades up to life in prison. Lest anyone think they can just run away from federal drug charges, the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced on October 14 that a 53-year-old man was arrested in Panama City on a flight from Colombia after failing to appear in federal court in Chicago before his 2009 drug trial.

Common Kinds of Federal Drug Charges

Many people who are facing any kind of drug charges wonder how their criminal cases will be handled when they are arrested while in possession of large amounts of drugs. Federal agencies are more likely to become involved in cases involving possible distribution to other states.

According to government officials, the most frequently used federal drug statutes are Title 21 U.S. Code (USC) § 841(a)(1), Distribution/Manufacturing/Possession with intent to Distribute, especially cases involving a five-year mandatory minimum and maximum of 40 years in prison under 21 USC § 841(b)(1)(B)) when a case involves:

• Actual meth (5 grams or more)
• Crack (28 grams or more)
• Mixture containing meth (50 grams or more)
• Fentanyl (40 grams or more)
• Heroin (100 grams or more)
• PCP (10 grams or more)
• Cocaine (500 grams or more)
• LSD (1 gram or more)
• Marijuana (100 kilogram or more or 100 or more plants)

A 21 USC § 841(b)(1)(A) case can result in a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence and a maximum of life years in prison for:

• Actual meth (50 grams or more)
• Crack (280 grams or more)
• Mixture containing meth (500 grams or more)
• Fentanyl (400 grams or more)
• Heroin (1 kilogram or more)
• PCP (100 grams or more)
• Cocaine (5 kilograms or more)
• LSD (10 grams or more)
• Marijuana (1000 kilogram or more or 1,000 or more plants)

Other common crimes identified by government officials include conspiracy or attempt, obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud, etc., use of a communication facility to facilitate drug felony, simple possession, continuing criminal enterprise or the “Drug Kingpin Statute,” maintaining a drug-involved premises or the “Crack House Statute,” interstate travel in aid of racketeering or the “Travel Act.”

Contact a Chicago Federal Drug Charges Lawyer

If you are currently facing federal drug charges anywhere in the Chicagoland area, it will be important for you to act quickly in seeking legal representation. Make sure you are working with a Chicago federal drug charges attorney from Law Offices of Hal M. Garfinkel LLC, Chicago Criminal Defense Attorney who can aggressively defend you against every kind of federal drug charge. 

Our firm will work to help you avoid the most catastrophic of consequences and will always work toward achieving the best possible resolution for your case. Call 312-629-0669 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-nh/frequently-used-federal-drug-statutes

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/ten-defendants-charged-drug-trafficking-probe-targeting-fentanyl-laced-heroin-sales

https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdwi/pr/chicago-man-charged-drug-crimes-involving-heroin-methamphetamine-cocaine

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/defendant-who-failed-appear-court-2009-drug-trial-arrested-panama-and-returned-united