Facing any drug charge can expose a person to some pretty significant potential consequences. However, there are some such charges where the penalties a person can face if convicted can be particularly hefty. Here in Illinois, one of these particularly penalty-hefty charges is cannabis trafficking.
When can a person face an Illinois cannabis trafficking charge? Under state law, they can face such a charge if they are accused of having knowingly trafficked at least 2,500 grams of cannabis into Illinois with the intent/purpose of delivery or manufacture.
A person can face much more severe penalties for being convicted of a cannabis trafficking charge than for conviction on a cannabis delivery/manufacturing charge. An example of this can be seen in Illinois law regarding prison sentences for cannabis trafficking convictions. Both the minimum prison sentence and the maximum prison sentence for a cannabis trafficking offense in the state are double what they are for a cannabis manufacturing/delivery offense of the same drug amount.
As a note, cannabis trafficking offenses involving more than 5,000 grams of cannabis-containing substance trigger higher penalty levels than cannabis trafficking offenses involving 5,000 grams or less of cannabis-containing substance.
Given the very hefty potential penalties attached to cannabis trafficking charges, a great deal can be hanging in the balance for a person when they are in criminal proceedings in relation to allegations of having committed cannabis trafficking here in Illinois. Experienced drug crime defense attorneys can provide legal guidance and defense-building services to individuals who are in this precarious situation.
