1,4-Butanediol Trafficking

1,4-Butanediol is an analog of GHB. GHB analogs are often abused instead of GHB, or they may be used to make GHB. 1,4-Butanediol has powerful sedative effects, and it is rapidly absorbed and metabolized in users. On the street, it may be called White Magic or Thunder. If you are being investigated for 1,4-Butanediol trafficking, you should call a Bradenton 1,4-Butanediol trafficking lawyer right away. Hanlon Law protects the rights of the accused and gives each client personalized attention.

In order to obtain a conviction for 1,4-Butanediol trafficking, the prosecutor must establish beyond a reasonable doubt each of the following elements: (1) you knowingly (2) had actual or constructive possession of or manufactured, sold, bought, delivered, or imported into the state (3) 1 kg. or more of 1,4-Butanediol or a mixture containing 1,4-Butanediol. If the prosecutor is able to do this, the court must sentence you to a mandatory minimum sentence, just as it must if you were trafficking in other drugs like cocaine or LSD. It does not have any leeway to consider mitigating circumstances, such as this being your first offense if it is.

The mandatory minimum sentence depends on the weight of 1,4-Butanediol involved in your trafficking charge. When 1 kg. - 5 kg. of 1,4-Butanediol is involved, you must be sentenced to at least 3 years’ imprisonment and a $50,000 fine. When 5 kg. - 10 kg. of 1,4-Butanediol is involved, you must be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of 7 years’ imprisonment and a $100,000 fine. When 10 kg. of 1,4-Butanediol or more is involved, you must be sentenced to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 calendar years and a $500,000 fine. As a result, you should promptly consult a 1,4-Butanediol trafficking attorney with experience helping Bradenton residents avoid these penalties.

Moreover, under certain circumstances, you can be charged with capital manufacture or importation, which may be punished by life imprisonment without eligibility for a form of discretionary release, or even the death sentence. Capital manufacture is charged if you knowingly make or import into Florida 150 kg. or more of 1,4-Butanediol or a mixture that includes it, and you know that the probable result of the manufacturing or importation is somebody else's death.

Some people are surprised to realize that simply conspiring or agreeing to traffic in 1,4-Butanediol is a first-degree felony. You will be treated as a drug trafficker even if you were not the person principally in control of the drugs. You can be sentenced to a mandatory minimum and will not be eligible for discretionary release, except when very limited conditions are present.

Being faced with the possibility of a mandatory minimum sentence can be stressful. However, there may be defenses available, and you should not hesitate to find an experienced Bradenton 1,4-Butanediol trafficking attorney if you suspect that you are being investigated for 1,4-Butanediol trafficking. In some cases, we may be able to raise procedural or constitutional violations as a basis for a defense. When an officer violates the Fourth Amendment, for example, we may be able to file a motion to suppress any evidence obtained through an illegal search and seizure. In other situations, we may be able to help you provide substantial assistance. This happens when a defendant provides substantial assistance to law enforcement officers in identifying, arresting, or convicting principals, co-conspirators, accessories, or others involved in drug trafficking. You will only get a reduction or suspension in your sentence if you provided the substantial assistance that you contracted to provide, making it crucial to work with an experienced criminal defense attorney. If you try to give this assistance without help, you might find that you have incriminated yourself, and it becomes much harder to provide a strong defense.

1,4-Butanediol is often abused to generate intoxication, euphoria, and hallucinogenic states. Sometimes it is used as a date rape drug to cause drowsiness or dizziness in the victim. Large doses of the drug can cause a coma or even death. Accordingly, 1,4-Butanediol trafficking is taken seriously by prosecutors and courts alike. If you have been charged with 1,4-Butanediol trafficking in Bradenton, it is crucial to retain an experienced attorney. Our firm's founder, Will Hanlon, has represented people charged with drug crimes since 1994. You can call Hanlon Law at 941.253.0254 or complete our online form.