Atlanta Men Sentenced in Cocaine Trafficking Scheme

Fulton County Courthouse

Atlanta, Ga. - Four men local to the Atlanta Area have been sentenced after pleading guilty to a cocaine trafficking scheme. The scheme involved the seizure of several kilos of cocaine, over $50,000 in case, and various firearms. Each of the men received over ten years of prison time. These charges, convictions, and sentences were all in federal court. However, there are equivalent crimes under Georgia Law.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the law behind the offense of trafficking cocaine in today's post.

Trafficking Cocaine in Georgia

Trafficking Cocaine in Georgia is defined by Georgia Law in O.C.G.A. §16-13-31 as:

When a person sells, manufactures, grows, delivers, or brings into this state, or who is in possession of 28 grams or more of cocaine or of any mixture with a purity of 10 percent or more of cocaine.

Trafficking cocaine is the most serious of cocaine crimes (possession of cocaine in Georgia, etc.). As you can see from the law, the cocaine offense is based off of the amount of cocaine. The same goes for different levels of punishment with a trafficking cocaine conviction.

The penalty for a trafficking cocaine conviction directly coincides with the amount of cocaine seized at the time of the charge. If there is 28 grams or more involved, but less than 200 grams, the penalty will be a mandatory prison term of at least ten years and a fine of $200,000.00. An amount of cocaine between 200 grams and 400 grams will receive the consequence of a mandatory prison sentence of at least fifteen years and a fine of $350,000.00.  For any amount of cocaine above 400 grams, the penalty is a mandatory prison term of at least twenty-five years with a fine of $1 million. No matter how much cocaine was seized, the crime for trafficking cocaine will be a felony conviction. 

Practice Note

Drug Offenses in Georgia are heavily penalized. However, just because a person has been arrested for a drug offense does not mean that he or she is guilty.

If arrested, call our offices now. We can help you today.