New York City Federal Defense Drug Trafficking Lawyers Attorneys

The possession, use, or distribution of illicit drugs is prohibited by federal law. Strict penalties are provided for drug convictions, including mandatory prison terms for many offenses. The following information, although not complete, is an overview of federal penalties for first convictions. All penalties are doubled for any subsequent drug conviction.

- Federal Drug Trafficking Penalties

Penalties for federal drug trafficking convictions vary according to the quantity of the controlled substance involved in the transaction. Penalties for subsequent convictions are twice as severe. If death or serious bodily injury results from the use of a controlled substance which has been illegally distributed, the person convicted on federal charges of distributing the substance faces a prison term of not less than 20 years, but not more than life, and fines ranging up to $8 million.

Persons convicted on federal charges of drug trafficking within 1,000 feet of a University (21 USC §860) face penalties of prison terms and fines which are twice as high as the regular penalties for the offense, with a mandatory prison sentence of at least 1 year.