Annapolis Volume Dealers and Continuing Criminal Enterprise Charges

Drug cases involving volume dealers and continuing criminal enterprises are among the most harshly penalized crimes in the state of Maryland. The penalties for such crimes include extremely hefty fines, as well as the potential of decades in prison. A conviction of these sorts of crimes can often harm an individual indefinitely, making it difficult to regain a normal quality of life.

If you have been involved in a drug crime that has been categorized as a volume deal or continuing criminal enterprise, it is crucial that you contact an Annapolis drug lawyer immediately to build a defense and ensure your charges are mitigated as much as possible.

Defining a Volume Dealer

Annapolis volume dealers are found with a significant amount of drugs and are usually not distributing drugs to users, but rather to other drug dealers. A volume dealer usually has a number or different kinds of substances in their possession or control.

Volume dealer charges are common everywhere in the United States, and particularly common in Maryland. Annapolis has a larger number of volume dealer charges because of the close proximity to a major international airport and major highways that connect Maryland to other states.

These cases are a priority for officers and prosecutors. They will try to charge them because the large amount of product that volume dealers possess is considered source crime. A source crime means a great deal of work has been conducted to find the source of drugs coming into that community. Often in drug cases, law enforcement may also find unlawful weapons, which may account for some violent crimes in the community. Law enforcement believes that charging volume dealers has a domino effect and will reduce other crimes in the area.

Potential Penalties

Volume dealers can face penalties of up to decades in prison depending on the kind of drug that is alleged to have been distributed by them. Penalties can also include tens of thousands of dollars in fines and expensive costs associated with an individual’s probation.

Investigation Process

The most common way that Annapolis volume dealer cases are investigated is with law enforcement turning an arrest into more information in hopes of finding the volume dealer. When people that were in possession of a controlled dangerous substance are arrested, they provide information to the police or prosecutor to avoid prosecution or have their charges reduced. Officers may also encounter a volume dealer during a regular traffic stop or during another criminal investigation.
This is often similar to other drug-related investigations. It is the reason that police will make arrests for small amounts of drugs, because those arrests are proverbial stepping stones to the major drug source.

Continuing Criminal Enterprises

An Annapolis continuing criminal enterprise is an ongoing criminal entity. For example, it is unusual for shoplifting to be considered a continuing criminal enterprise because it is commonly a one-time incident. Annapolis volume dealers and arms are often charged with continuing criminal enterprise related charges.
This could be similar to a drug conspiracy case depending on how significant an individual’s role is. Further, the penalties of this charge could be decades in prison, significant periods of probation, and fines.

Importance of an Attorney

The kinds of issues that come up in these cases require being aware of nuances in the constitution. Additionally, understanding the most recent case law and development, understanding the judge’s temperament in Annapolis, and previously litigating these matters are important in shaping the success or any chance of success for the accused individual.