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Drug Charges Defense

Miami Drug ChargesDefense Attorney

Florida drug charges turn on substance, weight, and where the substance was found. Crossing a trafficking weight threshold by one gram triggers a mandatory minimum prison sentence.

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Trafficking weight triggers mandatory prison. Florida Statute § 893.135 imposes 3, 7, 15, or 25-year mandatory minimums based on weight alone. Intent to sell does not need to be proven.
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1989
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State & Federal
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SDFL (1991), MDFL (2001)
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Florida Drug Charge Structure

Possession, Trafficking, and Federal Charges

A Florida drug arrest can be charged under three different sentencing frameworks, each with its own rules and exposure. The framework that controls depends on substance, weight, and whether federal jurisdiction attaches. Defense work has to address all three possibilities.

01

Possession Charges

State possession under § 893.13. Misdemeanor for marijuana under 20g. 3rd-degree felony for most other substances. Diversion options may be available for first offenders.

02

Trafficking Mandatory Minimums

§ 893.135 trafficking weight thresholds trigger 3, 7, 15, or 25-year minimum prison sentences. The judge cannot go below the statutory floor.

03

Federal Drug Charges

21 U.S.C. § 841 and conspiracy charges in U.S. District Court. Federal Sentencing Guidelines apply. No parole. 85% of sentence served.

Florida Statute § 893.135

Trafficking Mandatory Minimums

Florida trafficking is driven by weight alone. Crossing a weight threshold by one gram can change a 5-year exposure into a 25-year mandatory minimum the judge cannot reduce. None of these floors can be plea-bargained below the statutory minimum.

3
Year Minimum

Lower Tier

Cocaine 28g+, heroin 4g+, oxycodone 7g+, marijuana 25 lbs+.

7
Year Minimum

Middle Tier

Cocaine 200g+, heroin 14g+, oxycodone 14g+.

15
Year Minimum

Upper Tier

Cocaine 400g+, marijuana 10,000 lbs+.

25
Year Minimum

Top Tier

Cocaine 150kg+, heroin 28g+. Highest mandatory floor.

Florida Drug Penalty Framework

Penalties Under Chapter 893

Florida drug penalties are tiered by substance schedule, weight, and intent. Trafficking weight triggers mandatory minimums under § 893.135.

Charge
Classification
Prison Exposure
Statute
Marijuana20g or less
1st-degree misdemeanor
Up to 1 year
§ 893.13(6)(b)
MarijuanaMore than 20g
3rd-degree felony
Up to 5 years
§ 893.13(6)(a)
Cocaine PossessionUnder trafficking
3rd-degree felony
Up to 5 years
§ 893.13(6)(a)
Possession With Intent to SellSchedule II
2nd-degree felony
Up to 15 years
§ 893.13(1)(a)
Trafficking Cocaine28g to 200g
1st-degree felony
3-yr min, up to 30 years MANDATORY
§ 893.135(1)(b)
Trafficking Heroin / Fentanyl4g+
1st-degree felony
3-yr min, up to 30 years MANDATORY
§ 893.135(1)(c)
Trafficking Oxycodone7g to 14g
1st-degree felony
3-yr min, up to 30 years MANDATORY
§ 893.135(1)(c)1
Sale Within 1000 ft of SchoolEnhancement
1st-degree felony
Up to 30 years 3-yr Min
§ 893.13(1)(c)

Summary of Florida Statutes Chapter 893. Not legal advice. Penalties vary by specific substance, weight, prior record, and statutory enhancements. Trafficking mandatory minimums under § 893.135 cannot be reduced below the statutory floor.

Defense Approach

How a Drug Case Gets Defended

Most drug cases are not won at trial. They are resolved earlier, through suppression motions, charge reductions, drug court, or dismissal. The defense work that gets to those outcomes happens in four areas.

The search. Most drug cases turn on Fourth Amendment analysis. An illegal traffic stop, an extended detention, an invalid K-9 sniff, or a defective warrant suppresses everything found afterward. Without the substance in evidence, the case typically fails. Suppression motions are the most powerful tool in drug case defense.

Constructive possession. Most Florida drug cases do not involve someone holding the substance in their hand. They involve drugs found in shared spaces: a vehicle with multiple occupants, a home with several people, a backpack, a glove box. The state has to prove three elements: knowledge of presence, dominion and control, and (in some cases) knowledge of illicit nature. Mere proximity to drugs is not possession.

The lab and the weight. Lab analysis must confirm the substance is what the state alleges. Field tests are presumptive only. Chain of custody, analyst qualifications, and the lab report itself all become trial issues. In trafficking cases, weight literally determines the sentence. Disputing the weight, challenging packaging weight inclusion, or contesting how mixed substances are measured can drop charges below trafficking thresholds.

State versus federal. Florida drug cases can be charged in state court, federal court, or both. Federal jurisdiction can attach when interstate elements, larger weights, or conspiracy theories are involved. The earlier the case is reviewed, the more options stay open across both possibilities.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

What weight triggers trafficking in Florida?+
Trafficking thresholds vary by substance under Florida Statute § 893.135. Cocaine: 28g+. Heroin/fentanyl: 4g+. Oxycodone: 7g+. Methamphetamine: 14g+. Marijuana: 25 lbs+. Crossing a threshold by even one gram triggers mandatory minimum prison sentences (3, 7, 15, or 25 years depending on weight tier) that the judge cannot reduce below the statutory floor.
What is constructive possession?+
Constructive possession is when a person does not physically hold the substance but is alleged to have control over it. To prove constructive possession, the state generally must show the person had knowledge of the substance, the ability to exercise dominion and control over it, and (in some cases) knowledge of its illegal nature. Cases involving drugs found in vehicles, homes, or shared spaces often turn on this question.
Can drug charges be dismissed if the search was illegal?+
Yes. The exclusionary rule prevents the prosecution from using evidence obtained through an unlawful search and seizure. If a motion to suppress is granted, the substance often cannot be used as evidence, and the case typically cannot proceed without it. Suppression motions are the most powerful tool in drug case defense.
Is drug court available for trafficking charges?+
Generally no. Florida drug court is typically reserved for non-trafficking, non-violent drug offenses. Trafficking cases under § 893.135 carry mandatory minimums that cannot be reduced through drug court. Possession and possession with intent cases may qualify, depending on prior record and other factors.
When does a drug case become federal?+
Federal jurisdiction can attach when the alleged conduct involves interstate commerce, larger quantities, conspiracy across state lines, federal informants, controlled deliveries, or DEA investigations. The U.S. Attorney's Office can adopt cases that look like state matters when these triggers are present. Federal sentencing under 21 U.S.C. § 841 and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines is its own framework.
What is the school zone drug enhancement?+
Florida Statute § 893.13(1)(c) elevates a drug sale within 1000 feet of a school, park, daycare, college, or place of worship. The charge becomes a 1st-degree felony with a 3-year mandatory minimum prison sentence. Many parts of urban Miami-Dade fall within these zones, making this a frequent enhancement.
Can a drug charge be sealed or expunged?+
Some drug cases that resolve without a conviction may be eligible for record sealing or expungement under Florida law. Eligibility depends on the specific charge, how the case resolved, and prior record. Trafficking convictions are not eligible. Each case requires individual analysis.
What is the safety valve in federal drug cases?+
The federal safety valve under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f) allows certain non-violent drug offenders to be sentenced below the mandatory minimum if they meet specific criteria including limited criminal history, no violence or firearm use, and full cooperation with the government. The criteria are strict and the qualification analysis is fact-specific.
Related Defense Areas

Related Criminal Matters

Drug cases frequently overlap with other charges, especially weapons and federal jurisdiction issues.

Federal Crimes

State drug cases routinely become federal cases when interstate elements, weight thresholds, or conspiracy theories attach. No parole.

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Weapon Charges

Drug cases involving firearms trigger Florida 10-20-Life enhancements and federal § 924(c) consecutive mandatory minimums.

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General Criminal Defense

For cases that do not fit one charge category, are still developing, or involve overlapping issues alongside the drug allegation.

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Theft and Fraud

Drug-related theft, prescription fraud, and healthcare fraud cases require coordinated defense across multiple charge frameworks.

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Speak With Andre

Direct attorney access at (305) 774-7000

Drug cases turn on weight, search, and possession theory. The earlier the defense engages, the more pressure points stay open.

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