Topic
Every decision we've filed under Drug Trafficking.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed the convictions and sentences of Philip Beck, Florence Beck, and Joshua Martinez in a drug conspiracy and possession case involving a five-pound shipment of methamphetamine.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed convictions under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act for drug trafficking within a foreign nation's exclusive economic zone. The court rejected challenges regarding subject-matter jurisdiction, the vessel's nationality, and due process violations.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed a defendant's sentence for drug trafficking offenses involving firearms and a premises used for distribution. The court held that the district court did not plainly err in applying sentencing enhancements for possessing a firearm and maintaining a premises for drug distribution.
The Fourth Circuit affirmed in part and dismissed in part the appeal of Nikonda Taye Ingram, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The court enforced Ingram's valid appeal waiver and found no meritorious grounds for appeal under Anders v. California.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed convictions under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act for drug trafficking occurring within a foreign nation's Exclusive Economic Zone. The court held that Congress possesses authority under the Felonies Clause to prosecute such conduct and that a vessel becomes subject to U.S. jurisdiction when its master fails to claim nationality.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed David Gerome Kennedy's 180-month sentence for drug conspiracy and possession, rejecting his claim that the district court plainly erred in applying sentencing enhancements for firearm possession and maintaining a premises for drug distribution. The court found sufficient evidence that Kennedy possessed firearms related to his drug trafficking and used the Milton residence as a primary site for distributing controlled substances.
The Sixth Circuit affirmed an above-Guidelines sentence of one hundred twenty-one months for a large-scale drug trafficker. The court held that the district court properly varied upward based on the defendant's extensive criminal history and the volume of drugs involved.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed convictions under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act for drug trafficking occurring within Colombia's Exclusive Economic Zone. The court rejected arguments that the statute is unconstitutional or lacks jurisdictional nexus, holding that the vessel was stateless because the master failed to claim nationality.
The Seventh Circuit affirmed a thirty-two hundred and twenty-four month sentence for drug trafficking and reentry offenses. The court held that the defendant waived any challenge to the drug quantity finding by accepting the corresponding sentencing guideline level.
The Eleventh Circuit affirmed drug trafficking convictions under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act, rejecting challenges that the statute lacks constitutional authority over offenses in foreign Exclusive Economic Zones. The court held that the vessel was subject to U.S. jurisdiction because the master failed to claim nationality, and that foreign cooperation does not strip American courts of authority.