Drug Trafficking Attorney in Jacksonville

Criminal Defense for Florida’s Most Serious Drug Charges

A drug trafficking charge in Jacksonville isn’t a more serious version of a possession case. It’s a separate felony classification under Florida law that carries mandatory minimum prison sentences a judge can’t waive, regardless of your history or circumstances. At Owenby Law, P.A., our criminal defense attorneys represent clients facing these charges and work to build the most effective defense the facts allow.

Our practice handles the full range of drug crimes, including possession, distribution, and manufacturing, so when a trafficking allegation arrives alongside or instead of lesser charges, your case stays with one team that already understands the landscape.

Why Jacksonville Clients Choose Owenby Law, P.A. for Drug Trafficking Defense

Our attorneys bring over 125 years of combined experience to every case, and we’ve represented thousands of clients across criminal defense matters. That volume and depth shape how we approach a trafficking case from day one.

Senior Attorney Dustin Nemati is a former prosecutor with extensive trial experience in both misdemeanor and felony cases. That background gives our team direct insight into how the State Attorney’s Office builds a trafficking case and where those cases can be challenged. We work collaboratively, combining perspectives across the team rather than assigning a case to a single attorney and moving on.

We also recognize that a trafficking charge doesn’t arrive in a vacuum. It affects your job, your family, and your future. Our attorneys provide personalized counsel and clear guidance at every stage, from your first call through the resolution of your case.

What Florida Law Defines as Drug Trafficking

Under Florida Statute 893.135, trafficking is defined by quantity, not by proof of a sale. A person commits trafficking by knowingly selling, purchasing, manufacturing, delivering, bringing into the state, or possessing a controlled substance above a statutory threshold. If the weight is there, the charge can follow.

Two common examples illustrate how quickly that threshold is crossed:

• Cannabis: Possession of more than 25 pounds or 300 or more cannabis plants triggers a first-degree felony trafficking charge.
• Cocaine: Possession of 28 grams or more is enough to cross into trafficking territory under the statute.

The statute also applies through constructive possession, meaning the drugs don’t have to be in your hands. If law enforcement finds a qualifying quantity in your vehicle, home, or another location tied to you, a trafficking charge can still follow.

Mandatory Minimum Sentences Under Florida Statute 893.135

Florida’s trafficking statute removes judicial discretion at sentencing. A conviction requires the judge to impose at least the statutory minimum, no matter the circumstances. Penalties scale with drug type and quantity.

Cannabis Trafficking Mandatory Minimums

• More than 25 pounds or 300 plants: 3 years, $25,000 fine
• 2,000 to 10,000 pounds: 7 years, $50,000 fine
• 10,000 pounds or more: 15 years, $200,000 fine

Cocaine Trafficking Mandatory Minimums

• 28 to 199 grams: 3 years, $50,000 fine
• 200 to 399 grams: 7 years, $100,000 fine
• 400 grams up to 149 kilograms: 15 years, $250,000 fine
• 150 kilograms or more: life imprisonment

One statutory provision does allow for a sentence below the mandatory minimum. Florida Statute 893.135 permits the state attorney to ask the court to reduce or suspend a mandatory sentence when a defendant provides substantial assistance in identifying or prosecuting others involved in trafficking. Whether that path is available depends on the specific facts of your case.

State vs. Federal Prosecution in Jacksonville

Where your case is heard matters as much as the charge itself. State and federal courts operate under different procedures, sentencing structures, and standards.

State trafficking charges arising in Duval County are prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit, which also covers Clay and Nassau counties. Those cases are heard at the Duval County Courthouse.

When a case involves interstate transport, large-scale operations, or drugs brought into Florida, federal charges are possible. Federal drug trafficking cases in Jacksonville are prosecuted through the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida’s Jacksonville Division, which holds proceedings at the Bryan Simpson United States Courthouse in downtown Jacksonville. Federal sentencing guidelines operate independently of Florida’s mandatory minimum structure, and the stakes at that level are substantial.