Los Angeles Federal Drug Crime Attorney

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Charged with a Federal Drug Crime in Los Angeles? The Stakes Are Higher Than Any State Case

Federal drug charges are fundamentally different from state charges in ways that determine everything about your defense. Federal investigations are conducted by the DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations, often over months or years before a single arrest is made. Federal prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California are among the most experienced in the country. Mandatory minimum sentences are common, conviction rates exceed 90 percent, and there is no parole in the federal system. If you are under federal investigation or have been charged with a federal drug offense in Los Angeles, the attorney you choose will determine everything. At The Law Offices of Arash Hashemi, our criminal defense attorney has spent over 20 years representing clients in Los Angeles. Contact our office immediately for a free, confidential consultation.

Federal Drug Charges Our Firm Defends

Federal drug charges arise when investigations involve large quantities, interstate trafficking, organized distribution networks, or the involvement of federal agencies. Our federal drug crime attorney defends clients in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against all of the following:

Federal Drug Trafficking (21 U.S.C. § 841)

The most commonly charged federal drug offense. Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance carry mandatory minimum sentences of 5 to 40 years depending on the substance and quantity, with life sentences available in the most serious cases. Because federal drug quantity calculations frequently include drugs not directly in the defendant’s possession — such as drugs attributed to co-conspirators — the sentencing exposure in these cases is often far greater than defendants initially understand.

Federal Drug Conspiracy (21 U.S.C. § 846)

Federal conspiracy charges carry the same penalties as the underlying trafficking offense. The government does not need to prove you personally distributed drugs — only that you agreed to participate in the distribution scheme and took some step in furtherance of it. Conspiracy charges sweep broadly and are frequently used to charge individuals who played peripheral roles in a drug operation with the same penalties as its leaders. Our firm challenges the scope of the alleged conspiracy and our client’s role within it at every stage.

Drug Importation and Smuggling (21 U.S.C. § 952)

Importing controlled substances into the United States carries mandatory minimum sentences of 5 to 40 years with enhanced penalties for larger quantities. These cases frequently involve Customs and Border Protection, HSI, and the DEA, and often include parallel state charges and asset forfeiture proceedings.

Federal Money Laundering (18 U.S.C. § 1956)

Money laundering charges are routinely added to federal drug prosecutions when the government alleges that drug proceeds were moved through financial transactions to conceal their origin. A money laundering conviction adds up to 20 years per count on top of the underlying drug sentence, and carries mandatory forfeiture of all assets involved in or traceable to the laundering activity.

Using a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (18 U.S.C. § 924(c))

When a firearm is found in connection with a federal drug arrest, prosecutors frequently add a 924(c) charge carrying a mandatory consecutive 5-year sentence for a first offense. Discharge of the firearm carries 10 years, and use of certain weapons carries even higher mandatory minimums. These sentences run consecutively to — not concurrently with — the underlying drug sentence.

Federal Mandatory Minimum Sentences: What You Are Actually Facing

Mandatory minimum sentences in federal drug cases are one of the most consequential aspects of federal prosecution and one of the least understood by clients unfamiliar with the federal system. Unlike state court, a federal judge cannot sentence below the mandatory minimum regardless of the individual circumstances of the case.

5-Year Mandatory Minimum Triggers:

  • 500 grams or more of cocaine or 5 grams of cocaine base
  • 100 grams or more of heroin
  • 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (pure) or 50 grams of a mixture
  • 100 kilograms or more of marijuana
  • 40 grams or more of fentanyl

10-Year Mandatory Minimum Triggers:

  • 5 kilograms or more of cocaine or 50 grams of cocaine base
  • 1 kilogram or more of heroin
  • 50 grams or more of methamphetamine (pure) or 500 grams of a mixture
  • 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana
  • 400 grams or more of fentanyl

Prior drug felony convictions double the mandatory minimum on a first prior and can trigger mandatory life sentences on a second prior. Our firm analyzes every client’s exposure under the guidelines from the first day of representation and pursues every available avenue to reduce that exposure including safety valve relief for qualifying first-time offenders.

How Our Firm Defends Federal Drug Cases in Los Angeles

Fourth Amendment Suppression

The most powerful defense available in most federal drug cases. Federal wiretap orders, cell site location data, GPS tracking, and search warrants are all subject to constitutional requirements that are frequently violated. Our firm scrutinizes every warrant, wiretap authorization, and surveillance operation and files targeted suppression motions where the constitutional threshold was not met. Suppressing the drugs or communications evidence in a federal drug case often ends the prosecution entirely.

Challenging Confidential Informants

Federal drug cases rely heavily on confidential informants who receive significant benefits in exchange for their cooperation. Our firm investigates every informant’s background, criminal history, and compensation, files Roviaro motions to compel disclosure of informant identities where appropriate, and cross-examines cooperating witnesses to expose their motivations and credibility issues.

Sentencing Guideline Challenges

Drug quantity calculations under the federal sentencing guidelines are the single largest driver of federal drug sentences and are frequently overstated by the government. Our firm challenges every quantity calculation, contests relevant conduct attributions, and builds comprehensive sentencing mitigation cases that address every factor the court will consider in imposing the final sentence.

Safety Valve Relief

Qualifying first-time federal drug offenders may be eligible for safety valve relief under 18 U.S.C. § 3553(f), which allows the court to sentence below the mandatory minimum. Eligibility requires meeting specific criteria including criminal history, role in the offense, and truthful proffer to the government. Our firm evaluates every client’s safety valve eligibility from day one and advises fully on the implications before any decision is made.

Contact a Los Angeles Federal Drug Crime Attorney Today

If you are under federal drug investigation or have been charged in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, do not speak to investigators without an attorney present and do not wait. Federal drug cases are built over time and the decisions made in the earliest days of your defense will determine the range of outcomes available to you.

Call The Law Offices of Arash Hashemi immediately or schedule a confidential consultation with Attorney Hashemi using our secure online system. During your free consultation, we will analyze the facts of your case, explain your exposure under the federal sentencing guidelines, and begin building your defense from day one.

Schedule Your Consultation Today

We are conveniently located in the Westside Towers, serving clients facing federal drug charges across Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, the San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, Pasadena, and all surrounding communities. Contact our federal drug crime attorney today. Your defense starts the moment you call.