Drug Trafficking Charges Under Tennessee Law

Drug charges can lead to life-altering consequences if convicted. If you face charges for trafficking, this can be even more serious due to the stiffer penalties that can be imposed for a conviction. It’s important to contact a Nashville criminal lawyer as early in the process as possible to maximize your defense options.

How Drug Charges are Classified

In Tennessee, drug charges follow a scale of severity based on the type of drug involved and the quantity the accused had in his or her possession. Schedule I drugs are the most severe. These are drugs that are highly addictive and generally have no medicinal value such as heroine. Even simple possession of a Schedule I substance can support a felony charge. As a Nashville criminal lawyer can explain, evidence that can be used to support a trafficking or intent to sell charge can include larger quantities of a given substance, other paraphernalia or the presence of large amounts of cash, for example.

Trafficking Charges Can Lead to More Serious Consequences

The more potent the drug and the higher quantity found in the suspect’s possession, the more likely the state will seek a trafficking charge over simple possession. Trafficking charges involving a Schedule I substance can lead to conviction of a Class B felony. As an attorney from a Nashville criminal law firm can explain, a conviction can lead to a sentence of 8 to 30 years behind bars plus significant monetary fines. Your attorney can discuss the specific amounts and types of drugs for each type of felony. It’s critical that you speak to an attorney as soon as you can in the criminal process. Your attorney can review how evidence was collected against you, probe for weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and advise you of any options you may have for a plea bargain or other defense strategies.

You don’t have to face criminal charges alone. Put an experienced attorney with a proven track record of getting results for criminal defendants. To schedule an appointment with a Nashville criminal law firm who can help you prepare an aggressive defense strategy, call the offices of Horst Law at