Topic

Drug Trafficking

Every decision we've filed under Drug Trafficking.

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Civil 2084 Criminal 1218 Summary Judgment 466 Sentencing Guidelines 413 Civil Rights - Section 1983 395 Immigration (Civil) 354 Constitutional 350 Supervised Release 285 Firearms 213 Civil Rights - Employment 204 Intellectual Property 159 Qualified Immunity 151
Apr 20 2026
11th Cir. 1:18-cr-00392-AT-JKL-2 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. AMOS CHRISTOLIN

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Amos Christolin's drug trafficking convictions, rejecting his claim that his ambiguous statement in Haitian Creole constituted an unequivocal invocation of his right to remain silent. The court further held that the district court's admission of an agent's translations did not violate the Confrontation Clause under plain error review.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Fifth Amendment - Self-Incrimination Sixth Amendment - Confrontation Clause
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Apr 20 2026
11th Cir. 8:20-cr-00342-SCB-TGW-1 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. CHRISTOPHER ASHLEY DEFILIPPIS

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed Christopher Defilippis's life sentence for distributing fentanyl that caused a death, ruling that witness testimony and chemical evidence sufficiently proved the drugs he sold were the but-for cause of the victim's overdose. The court also rejected claims regarding evidentiary errors and discovery violations, finding any mistakes harmless and the government's disclosures adequate.

Criminal Drug Trafficking
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Apr 20 2026
9th Cir. 3:23-cr-00256-AKB-1 Unpublished

USA v. Kay

The Ninth Circuit affirmed Robert Charles Kay's conviction for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. The court held that the warrantless search of Kay's vehicle was constitutional under the plain view doctrine and the automobile exception to the Fourth Amendment.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Fourth Amendment - Search & Seizure
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Apr 20 2026
11th Cir. 2:24-cr-00442-AMM-JHE-1 Per Curiam

United States v. Rutilo Medina Hernandez

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a drug trafficking sentence where the district court's initial oral pronouncement exceeded the statutory maximum. The court held that a lawful written judgment controls over an oral pronouncement that violates the plain language of the statute.

Criminal Drug Trafficking
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Apr 17 2026
11th Cir. 6:21-cr-00015-CEM-LHP-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. SHAWN MICHAEL CHALIFOUX

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a district court order authorizing the involuntary administration of antipsychotic medication to restore a defendant's competency to stand trial. Applying the strict four-factor standard from Sell v. United States, the court found the government met its burden by showing a compelling interest in prosecution and that medication was medically necessary and less intrusive alternatives were ineffective.

Criminal Drug Trafficking
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Apr 17 2026
11th Cir. 1:22-cr-00043-TWT-CCB-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. NATHANIEL BROUGHTON

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed an 87-month sentence for a convicted felon found in possession of a firearm, ruling that the district court properly applied sentencing guidelines and did not abuse its discretion. The court also remanded the case solely to correct a clerical error in the judgment document that incorrectly cited the Armed Career Criminal Act.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Firearms Sentencing Guidelines
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Apr 17 2026
6th Cir. 25-1190 Published

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. MATTHEW JOSEPH SHEEHAN

The Sixth Circuit affirmed the denial of Matthew Sheehan's motion to suppress evidence, ruling that police possessed reasonable suspicion to stop his vehicle based on corroborated informant tips and cell-site data. The court held that the totality of the circumstances supported the inference that Sheehan was engaged in an ongoing drug trafficking operation.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Supervised Release
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Apr 17 2026
4th Cir. 25-4225 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. WILLIE JUNIOR LILLY

The Fourth Circuit affirmed Willie Junior Lilly's conviction and sentence, holding that his Second Amendment challenge to 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1) is foreclosed by binding circuit precedent. The court further rejected his sentencing argument, ruling that the district court correctly applied the Sentencing Guidelines to count his prior drug convictions.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release
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Apr 16 2026
11th Cir. 1:22-cr-20040-JEM-1 Per Curiam

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA v. ANGELO MARTINEZ

The Eleventh Circuit affirmed convictions under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, holding that binding precedent forecloses constitutional challenges regarding the statute's validity and the lack of a U.S. nexus. The court further ruled that recent Sentencing Guidelines amendments are substantive and do not apply retroactively to alter the defendants' sentences.

Criminal Drug Trafficking Sentencing Guidelines Supervised Release
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