The legal landscape concerning drug crimes here in California has undergone a seismic shift over the last two decades, with both law enforcement agencies and prosecutors adopting a more lenient approach.
This begs the question as to whether federal officials are following suit.
The answer, of course, is a resounding no. In fact, Californians need to be more aware than ever that the federal government remains committed to putting defendants through the federal justice system where the fines are larger, the opportunities for probation limited and the sentences much longer.
Attorney Ron Cordova has published a white paper entitled “As Much as Times Change, Federal Drug Charges Stay the Same,” in which he discusses what you need to know about the federal government’s unwavering commitment to the war on drugs, including:
- The jurisdiction of the federal courts over drug crimes
- The general sentencing structure for federal drug crimes
- The mandatory minimum sentencing structure for certain drug trafficking offenses
The hope is that the white paper will not only provide you with much-needed information, but also serve to illustrate how California’s focus on sentence reductions and decriminalization mean nothing to the federal government.