Category Archives: Drug Crimes
Illegal Drug Trafficking Business Operations in Texas: Federal Investigations into the Texas Mexican Mafia aka La Eme or Mexikanemi
The Texas Mexican Mafia once again made national news coverage recently with the flagrant prison escape by convicted capital murderer Gonzalo Lopez from a Texas prison bus in Centerville on May 12, 2022. Lopez, recognized for his affiliation with the Mexican Mafia, was placed on the State of Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List where…
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Plea Bargaining and Making Deals in Federal Felony Cases: Criminal Defense Overview
In both Texas prosecutions and federal criminal matters, many – if not most – arrests do not end up as a criminal conviction with formal sentencing after a full trial before a judge or jury, but instead are resolved out of the courtroom in what is called “plea bargaining.” This involves attorneys representing both the…
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Prominent Dallas Attorney Ray Jackson Arrest in Drug Money Laundering Scheme: a Criminal Defense Perspective
On April 8, 2021, a Criminal Complaint with its Supporting Affidavit (“Affidavit”) was filed in Case No. 3-21MJ-329 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, styled United States of America v. Rayshun Jackson. A copy of the Affidavit appears below: Who is Ray Jackson? Ray Jackson is a well-known criminal…
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Less Time for Federal Drug Crimes: When Safety Valve Defense Circumvents Mandatory Minimum Sentences Under Federal Law
Congress has passed mandatory minimum sentences for certain federal drug crime convictions, but it is possible to serve less time with the Safety Valve defense. Here’s how that works. What is a crime in Texas? It is whatever has been defined as illegal activity by Congress (for federal crimes) or the Texas Legislature. In federal…
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Federal Drug Conspiracy Possession With Intent to Distribute: Safety Valve at Sentencing – New Video
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Texas Drug Crimes: Criminal Defense Overview
Drug arrests in the State of Texas can be based upon either federal or state drug laws. These are crimes defined within two completely separate jurisdictions needing distinctly different defense strategies. From a criminal defense perspective, the outcome can be very different for someone arrested for state drug crimes compared to those who are charged…
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Heroin Trafficking in Texas and Federal Sentencing Guidelines
Criminal defense after arrest on federal charges of heroin trafficking in Texas First things first: if you are arrested on heroin trafficking under federal law, then you must be prepared to spend a significant amount of time behind bars. Statistics reveal almost every person (96.3%) convicted of heroin trafficking in the federal system is sentenced…
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Guns and Drug Trafficking: Firearms and Mandatory Minimum Sentences under Federal Law
Sentencing Guidelines When Someone Faces Combined Drug Trafficking and Federal Firearms Charges Drug arrests in North Texas can result in criminal charges under either state or federal law. If the local police or county sheriff’s deputies are involved, then Texas criminal laws are going to apply. If you are convicted, sentencing will occur according to…
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Methamphetamine Trafficking and Federal Sentencing
Things to know when you are arrested for crystal meth distribution in Texas. There are 94 federal district courts in this country and according to the United States Sentencing Commission, three of the top five federal district courts hearing the highest number of criminal charges for methamphetamine are in Texas. Two of these three are…
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Mandatory Minimum Penalties in Federal Sentencing
Congress Decides Your Prison Sentence with Certain Federal Crimes Our modern system of mandatory minimum sentencing in federal cases arguably began with the passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986. Congress enthusiastically targeted drug “kingpins” for explicit punishment, mandating that the federal judge must sentence these defendants, upon conviction, to imprisonment in a federal…
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10 Questions to Ask Before you Hire a Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer
Top 5 Mistakes in Defending a Texas Criminal Case
