Trafficking a controlled substance in Florida is defined as selling, purchasing, manufacturing, delivering, bringing into the state, or knowingly being in actual or constructive possession of an illegal drug. Even when people have no intent to distribute a controlled substance, they can still face drug trafficking charges if they are allegedly in possession of an amount that exceeds the limits established by state and federal law.
All drug trafficking offenses are essentially felony offenses that can result in several years in prison and tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. Prosecutors present alleged offenders in these cases as threats to the public and seek maximum sentences.
If you were arrested or believe that you could be under investigation for allegedly trafficking a controlled substance, you should say absolutely nothing to authorities or investigators until you have legal representation. Terrezza Law can fight to protect your rights and work to get these criminal charges reduced or dismissed.
John Terrezza is Pensacola criminal defense attorney who represents residents of such communities as Pensacola Beach, Navarre, Milton, and Gulf Breeze. You can have our lawyer review your case as soon as you call (850) 764-5291 to schedule a completely free initial consultation.
Most drug trafficking offenses are classified as first-degree felonies, but cases involving the import of large amounts of certain controlled substances in which an alleged offender knew that the probable result of such importation would be the death of any person are capital felonies that are punishable by death.
Some of the penalties for trafficking offenses in Florida include:
Controlled Substance |
Amount |
Fine |
Prison Sentence |
Cannabis |
More than 25 pounds, but less than 2,000 pounds |
$25,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
2,000 pounds or more, but less than 10,000 pounds |
$50,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
10,000 pounds or more |
$200,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
28 grams or more, but less than 200 grams |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
|
200 grams or more, but less than 400 grams |
$100,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
400 grams or more, but less than 150 kilograms |
$250,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
150 kilograms or more |
— |
Life in prison with ineligibility for any form of discretionary early release |
|
Morphine, opium, hydromorphone, or any salt, derivative, isomer, or salt of an isomer thereof, including heroin |
4 grams or more, but less than 14 grams |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
14 grams or more, but less than 28 grams |
$100,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
28 grams or more, but less than 30 kilograms |
$500,000 |
Minimum of 25 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
30 kilograms or more |
— |
Life in prison with ineligibility for any form of discretionary early release |
|
Hydrocodone, or any salt, derivative, isomer, or salt of an isomer thereof |
14 grams or more, but less than 28 grams |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
28 grams or more, but less than 50 grams |
$100,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
50 grams or more, but less than 200 grams |
$500,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
200 grams or more, but less than 30 kilograms |
$750,000 |
Minimum of 25 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
30 kilograms or more |
— |
Life in prison with ineligibility for any form of discretionary early release |
|
Oxycodone, or any salt, derivative, isomer, or salt of an isomer thereof |
7 grams or more, but less than 14 grams |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
14 grams or more, but less than 25 grams |
$100,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
25 grams or more, but less than 100 grams |
$500,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
100 grams or more, but less than 30 kilograms |
$750,000 |
Minimum of 25 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
30 kilograms or more |
— |
Life in prison with ineligibility for any form of discretionary early release |
|
Phencyclidine (PCP) or any mixture containing PCP |
28 grams or more, but less than 200 grams |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
200 grams or more, but less than 400 grams |
$100,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
400 grams or more |
$250,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
Methaqualone (Quaalude) or any mixture containing methaqualone |
200 grams or more, but less than 5 kilograms |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
5 kilograms or more, but less than 25 kilograms |
$100,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
25 kilograms or more |
$250,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
Amphetamine, methamphetamine, any mixture containing amphetamine or methamphetamine, or phenylacetone, phenylacetic acid, pseudoephedrine, or ephedrine in conjunction with other chemicals and equipment utilized in the manufacture of amphetamine or methamphetamine |
14 grams or more, but less than 28 grams |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
28 grams or more, but less than 200 grams |
$100,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
200 grams or more |
$250,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) |
1 kilogram or more but less than 5 kilograms |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
5 kilograms or more but less than 10 kilograms |
$100,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
10 kilograms or more |
$250,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
Flunitrazepam or any mixture containing flunitrazepam |
4 grams or more but less than 14 grams |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
14 grams or more but less than 28 grams |
$100,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
28 grams or more but less than 30 kilograms |
$500,000 |
Minimum of 25 years up to 30 years in prison |
|
30 kilograms or more |
— |
Life in prison with ineligibility for any form of discretionary early release |
|
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) |
1 gram or more, but less than 5 grams |
$50,000 |
Minimum of three years up to 30 years in prison |
5 grams or more, but less than 7 grams |
$100,000 |
Minimum of seven years up to 30 years in prison |
|
7 grams or more |
$500,000 |
Minimum of 15 years up to 30 years in prison |
When an alleged offender faces federal drug charges, it is usually for trafficking because any alleged distribution, importation, or exportation crosses state lines. The penalties for federal drug trafficking charges include:
Controlled Substance |
Amount |
Fine |
Prison Sentence |
Cocaine |
500-4,999 grams |
First Offense: Mandatory minimum five year sentence up to 40 years in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, mandatory minimum 20 year sentence up to life in prison. Second Offense: Mandatory minimum 10-year sentence up to life in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, life sentence. |
First Offense: Up to $5 million for individuals, $25 million for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $8 million for individuals, $50 million for non-individuals. |
Cocaine base |
28-279 grams |
||
Fentanyl |
40-399 grams |
||
Fentanyl analogue |
10-99 grams |
||
Heroin |
100-999 grams |
||
LSD |
1-9 grams |
||
Pure methamphetamine |
5-49 grams |
||
Methamphetamine mixture |
50-499 grams |
||
Pure PCP |
10-99 grams |
||
PCP mixture |
100-999 grams |
||
Cocaine |
5 kilograms or more |
First Offense: Mandatory minimum 10-year sentence up to life in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, mandatory minimum 20-year sentence up to life in prison. Second Offense: Mandatory minimum 20-year sentence up to life in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, life sentence. Third or Subsequent Offense: Life in prison. |
First Offense: Up to $10 million for individuals, $50 million for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $20 million for individuals, $75 million for non-individuals. Third or Subsequent Offense: Up to $20 million for individuals, $75 million for non-individuals. |
Cocaine base |
280 grams or more |
||
Fentanyl |
400 grams or more |
||
Fentanyl analogue |
100 grams or more |
||
Heroin |
1 kilogram or more |
||
LSD |
10 grams or more |
||
Pure methamphetamine |
50 grams or more |
||
Methamphetamine mixture |
500 grams or more |
||
Pure PCP |
100 grams or more |
||
PCP mixture |
1 kilogram or more |
||
Other Schedule I and Schedule II Substances |
Any amount |
First Offense: Up to 20 years in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, mandatory minimum 20-year sentence up to life in prison. Second Offense: Up to 30 years in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, life imprisonment. |
First Offense: Up to $1 million for individuals, $5 million for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $2 million for individuals, $10 million for non-individuals. |
Any drug product containing gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) |
Any amount |
||
Flunitrazepam |
1 gram or more |
||
Marijuana |
1,000 kilograms or more marijuana mixture, or 1,000 or more marijuana plants |
First Offense: Mandatory minimum 10-year sentence up to life in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, mandatory minimum 20-year sentence up to life in prison. Second Offense: Mandatory minimum 20-year sentence up to life in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, life sentence. |
First Offense: Up to $10 million for individuals, $50 million for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $20 million for individuals, $75 million for non-individuals. |
Marijuana |
100 to 999 kilograms marijuana mixture, or 100 to 999 marijuana plants |
First Offense: Mandatory minimum five-year sentence up to 40 years in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, mandatory minimum 20-year sentence up to life in prison. Second Offense: Mandatory minimum 10-year sentence up to life in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, life sentence. |
First Offense: Up to $5 million for individuals, $25 million for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $8 million for individuals, $50 million for non-individuals. |
Marijuana |
50 to 99 kilograms marijuana mixture, or 50 to 99 marijuana plants |
First Offense: Up to 20 years in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, mandatory minimum 20-year sentence up to life in prison. Second Offense: Up to 30 years in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, life imprisonment. |
First Offense: Up to $1 million for individuals, $5 million for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $2 million for individuals, $10 million for non-individuals. |
Hashish |
More than 10 kilograms |
||
Hashish Oil |
More than 1 kilogram |
||
Marijuana |
Less than 50 kilograms marijuana (Not including 50 or more marijuana plants, regardless of weight), or 1 to 49 marijuana plants |
First Offense: Up to five years in prison. Second Offense: Up to 10 years in prison. |
First Offense: Up to $250,000 for individuals, $1 million for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $500,000 for individuals, $2 million for non-individuals. |
Hashish |
10 kilograms or less |
||
Hashish Oil |
1 kilogram or less |
||
Other Schedule III Drugs |
Any amount |
First Offense: Up to 10 years in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, up to 15 years in prison. Second Offense: Up to 20 years in prison. If case involves death or serious bodily injury, up to 30 years in prison. |
First Offense: Up to $500,000 for individuals, $2.5 million for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $1 million for individuals, $5 million for non-individuals. |
All other Schedule IV Drugs (other than one gram or more of Flunitrazepam) |
Any amount |
First Offense: Up to five years in prison. Second Offense: Up to 10 years in prison. |
First Offense: Up to $250,000 for individuals, $1 million for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $500,000 for individuals, $2 million for non-individuals. |
All Schedule V Drugs |
Any amount |
First Offense: Up to one year in prison. Second Offense: Up to four years in prison. |
First Offense: Up to $100,000 for individuals, $250,000 for non-individuals. Second Offense: Up to $200,000 for individuals, $500,000 for non-individuals. |
Florida Statute § 893.135 — You can view the full text of entire Florida drug trafficking statute. It covers the penalties and amounts for all controlled substances, including some that are not listed in the table above. You can also learn more about when a first-degree felony becomes a capital felony.
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) | Federal Trafficking Penalties — View the full table of federal drug trafficking penalties. On this website, you can also find drug fact sheets, information on drug scheduling, and the Controlled Substances Act. You can also learn more about the major operations and programs of the DEA.
Were you arrested for allegedly trafficking a controlled substance in Florida? Whether you are facing state or federal drug charges, it is in your best interest to contact Terrezza Law as soon as possible.
Pensacola criminal defense attorney John Terrezza serves communities in and around Okaloosa County, Escambia County, Santa Rosa County, and Walton County. Call (850) 764-5291 or submit an online contact form right now to take advantage of a free, confidential consultation that will let our lawyer review your case.