At the Griffin Law Office, our San Diego drug crimes attorney knows that when our clients are charged with certain drug crimes in California, they can suddenly become federal crimes that will lead to a much tougher prosecution. And, if convicted, much harsher penalties.
To ensure your rights are protected and that you are approaching these charges with the best defense strategy, you will need to partner with a skilled criminal defense lawyer who has vast experience at a federal level.
Our San Diego criminal defense lawyer, Patrick Griffin, has extensive experience at both state and federal drug crime levels and can help you curate a customized defense strategy to meet your unique needs.
What is the Difference Between Federal and State Drug Charges?
Both California state laws and federal laws make the possession, sale, or production of drugs illegal.
Local or state officials lead most drug investigations, but certain drug crimes automatically require they be charged at a federal level. That includes when drug crimes occur on federal property, military bases, national parks, or when.n the crime involves crossing state or international borders.
The Controlled Substances Act, or CSA, gives federal prosecutors the power to develop drug crime cases in federal courts, superseding the state’s cases. The CSA is part of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 that gives the federal government jurisdiction over particular drugs and substances it has deemed dangerous.
The CSA created a classification system for drugs called Schedules depending on their potential for abuse, their medical benefits, whether they are a component of another controlled substance, and scientific evidence regarding the drugs.
Schedule I drugs have no accepted medical use, have an extremely high potential for abuse and are often those that are most heavily prosecuted.
Common examples of Schedule I drugs include:
- Ecstasy
- Heroin
- LSD
Schedule II drugs have a high potential for abuse that can potentially lead to severe psychological or physical dependence, and include:
- Adderall
- Cocaine
- Demerol
- Fentanyl
- OxyContin
- Vicodin
Schedule III drugs have a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence, can include:
- Anabolic steroids
- Codeine
- Ketamine
Schedule IV drugs have a low potential for abuse and minimal risk of dependence, and include:
- Ambien
- Darvocet
- Valium
- Xanax
Schedule V drugs are substances and chemicals that have a lower potential for abuse and only contain a limited quantity of certain narcotics, which may include cough medications and similar medicinal needs that require a prescription
Our skilled San Diego criminal defense attorney represents clients in the following practice areas:
- Assault & Battery
- Domestic Violence
- Drug Crimes
- Driving Under the Influence
- Expungement
- Homicide
- White Collar & Fraud Crimes
- Juvenile Crimes
- Professional Licensing Defense
- Probation
- Sex Crime
- Federal
- Theft Crimes
Contact Our Skilled Federal Drug Crimes Defense Attorney in San Diego Today
Despite their lack of previous criminal convictions, mandatory minimum sentencing for federal drug crimes can lead to long sentences for first-time offenders.
Partnering with a skilled federal drug crimes attorney is an integral part of your defense.
If you have been charged with federal drug crimes in California, contact our experienced criminal defense lawyer in San Diego today to learn more about your legal rights and options to potentially move your federal case back to a California state court by calling 619-269-2131 to discuss the details of your case today.