Our Omaha drug trafficking lawyer blog recently covered how Nebraska’s prosecution of drug cases is on the rise and that the state is spending a whole lot of money to catch, charge, and jail people. The hardest-hit areas are along Interstate 80 and the most common targets are those with out-of-state plates. Now, the feds are painting a slightly different picture. The United States Sentencing Commission (USSC) just released its own numbers from 2015 and federal prosecution of drug crimes is down, especially for marijuana-related crimes.
The Trend Correlates with Marijuana Legalization Dates, But Not How You Might Think…
The Quick Facts Sheet put out by the USSC covers data going back as far as 2005. Most notably, it includes 2012, when Colorado’s Amendment 64 and Washington’s Initiative 502 passed, legalizing recreational marijuana in both states. Bear in mind, several states have claimed that trafficking is on the rise and they blame these states. Nebraska and Oklahoma have actually gone so far as to sue Colorado for the damages and expenses their states have as a result of recreational marijuana legalization. However, the number of marijuana cases prosecuted by the federal government was roughly the same in 2011 and 2012, at just over 6,000 cases, but by 2013, only about 5,000 cases were prosecuted. The trend continued through 2015, with fewer than 4,000 cases prosecuted by the federal government. In other words, though Nebraska may be prosecuting more, there may not be a total increase in the number of marijuana trafficking cases tried.
The Report Revealed Several Upward Trends, Too
As an experienced Omaha drug trafficking lawyer, Daniel Stockmann handles all types of drug-related cases, from marijuana trafficking, to methamphetamine charges, prescription drugs, and even RICO cases. The latest data shows that although federal marijuana trafficking cases may be on the decline, other charges are climbing fast. Of these, methamphetamine trafficking has seen the greatest increase, trending upward since 2009. At that point, roughly 4,000 cases were prosecuted, though the number now sits at about 6,000 cases per year. Cases involving heroin trafficking have also seen an uptick of about 1,000 in the same time span.
Overall Report Statistics
- 85% of those prosecuted are men
- 48% have no prior criminal histories
- 96% receive time behind bars as part of their sentencing
- 66 months (5.5 years) is the average length of a sentence
- 91% of federal trafficking cases involve one of six substances; marijuana, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, methamphetamines, heroin, and oxycodone
Omaha Drug Trafficking Lawyer
Federal prosecution of marijuana cases may have decreased, by the state of Nebraska seems to be picking up the slack, and prosecution for other forms of drug trafficking are on the rise. If you are up against these kinds of charges, you need the help of an experienced Omaha drug trafficking lawyer. Only 4% of people walk away without jail time- your life literally hangs in the balance of the decision you make today. Contact Stockmann Law at (402) 884-1031 for your free case evaluation now.
