Crack Trafficking Lawyer in St. Louis

Crack Trafficking Lawyer in St. Louis, MO

Being charged with crack trafficking can mean facing the risk of prison time, steep fines, and a number of other serious penalties that could alter your life. At Combs Waterkotte, our crack trafficking lawyers provide the assistance you need to defend your freedom, reputation, and ultimately, your future.

Understanding Crack Trafficking Charges in St. Louis

In Missouri, it’s illegal to manufacture, sell, possess with the intent to sell, or deliver controlled substances. Doing so could earn you the charge of first-degree drug trafficking or drug conspiracy.

Crack cocaine, usually known simply as crack, is a Schedule II stimulant, and it is considered to be a controlled substance. If you’re arrested and you have enough crack in your possession to warrant drug trafficking charges, you could be charged with a Class A felony or Class B felony.

To earn a Class A felony, you would have to be in possession of between two to six grams of crack with the intent to sell or deliver it. For a Class B felony charge, you would have to have the intent to purchase two to six grams of crack. Overall, Missouri has very strict laws and penalties regarding crack. They tend to be harsher even than for cocaine drug charges.

There are a few different types of crack trafficking charges you could face. These include:

• Possession with intent to distribute
• Distribution of controlled substances
• Conspiracy to traffic drugs
• Drug manufacturing and cultivation
• Trafficking across state or national borders
• Drug smuggling
• Maintaining drug trafficking premises
• Money laundering
• Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act violation

You can also be charged with aggravated trafficking if there were factors such as violence, large crack quantities, or previous convictions that apply to your case.

Crack Trafficking Penalties in St. Louis, MO

A crack trafficking conviction can mean a number of serious penalties.

Prison Time

The most serious drug charge you could receive is that of first-degree trafficking. The quantity of crack cocaine in your possession will dictate whether it’s a Class A or B felony.

If you have in your possession between eight and 24 grams of crack, you could be charged with a Class B felony, which could mean between 5 and 15 years in prison. Repeat offenders can face 10 to 30 years in prison.

Anyone with 24 or more grams of crack may also face a Class A felony, with penalties of between 10 and 30 years of imprisonment. In the most severe cases, it’s possible to receive a life sentence without parole.

Second-degree drug trafficking is generally treated as a drug possession charge. Although they involve the same amounts of crack cocaine as a first-degree drug trafficking charge, these carry slightly less severe penalties because you’re not seen as having an intent to sell or distribute.

Having 8-24 grams of crack as part of a second-degree trafficking charge could mean a Class C felony, carrying between 3 and 10 years in prison. If the second-degree trafficking charge is for more than 24 grams of crack cocaine, you might face a Class B felony and between 5 and 15 years in prison.

Fines

You might also have serious fines to pay if you’re convicted of drug trafficking. A Class C felony would mean up to $10,000 in fines, while all other felonies tend to have much higher fines that will depend on the exact charges you face.

Criminal Record

Being convicted of crack trafficking means having a criminal record. This can have repercussions across your entire life.

For example, it can be much more difficult to find work if you have a criminal record. Many employers won’t hire people convicted of felonies, and some jobs will be completely unavailable, such as those involving banking. You may also be barred from some federal positions.

If you have professional licenses, you could lose these, too, which could end your career. Even if you have a chance to recover the licenses, it can take a long time and mean a lengthy appeals process.

You might also have a much harder time finding a place to live. Landlords may hesitate to accept applications from people with criminal records, and you won’t be allowed to live in federal housing.

If you were planning on returning to school to get a higher degree, that might not be possible if you need a federal loan. You’ll lose some civil rights, too, including your right to bear arms. You can be banned from owning a firearm for life and face restrictions on the countries you can travel to. You’ll also be unable to vote.

If you’re not a United States citizen, you could face immigration issues if you’re convicted. That’s especially true if your charges include any type of violence.

Importantly, you’ll also face the social stigma that comes with a criminal conviction. That stigma could put a strain on relationships and could make it very difficult to establish new acquaintances.