Henrico County Volume Dealers and Continuing Criminal Enterprise

Volume dealing and continuing criminal enterprise are both very serious charges in Henrico County, Virginia. Both of these charges deal with major drug crimes. Volume dealing is concerned with the dealing of large amounts of drugs, while continuing criminal enterprise is concerned with continuous drug dealing by a group of people, usually five or more. Although these charges are not incredibly common, they are investigated and prosecuted thoroughly, due to the extensive scale of the crimes. Because of this law enforcement focus, it is important for anyone facing volume or continuing criminal enterprise charges to work with a Henrico County drug lawyer, who can help counter the intense investigation and prosecution.

Defining a Volume Dealer

A volume dealer is a dealer who deals in a significant amount of drugs and/or drug trafficking. These charges are not simply intent to distribute or basic distribution charges; these charges usually develop from trafficking of a high amount of drugs throughout several counties or a region. Volume charges are not common in Henrico; however, they are a priority for law enforcement. These charges bring a significant amount of exposure to law enforcement and typically result in a seizure of a large amount of drugs and cash.

Penalties

Volume charges are penalized more severely than simple intent to distribute or distribution charges. The penalties with a high volume case are typically the minimum mandatory sentence. Minimum mandatory sentences start with up to five years in prison.

Investigations

Law enforcement has a lot of incentive to succeed in volume dealing cases, so the investigation and prosecution often make use of a many resources. Large volume cases are investigated using confidential informants and undercover officers, and often involve using multiple state and federal agencies, like the ATF and FBI.

Continuing Criminal Enterprise

A continuing criminal enterprise is a federal crime for committing or conspiring in a continuing series of felony violations of the federal drug laws. These crimes typically occur in concert with five or more persons. For conviction under the statute, the offender must have been an organizer, manager, or supervisor of the continuing enterprise to obtain a substantial amount of income or resources from the violation.

Similarity to Drug Conspiracy

While continuing criminal enterprise is somewhat similar to a drug conspiracy case, it differs in the requirements. With a continuing enterprise case, it is required that the prosecution shows that five or more individuals were involved. In addition, with a continuing enterprise case, the penalties are significantly higher and can result in sentences with 20-year minimum mandatory.

Benefit of an Experienced Henrico Drug Lawyer

It is important to have an experienced local attorney on a case like this in Henrico County. These charges will involve multiple witnesses and confidential informants, so an attorney that is experienced in challenging the state’s evidence, knows how to operate in court, and knows how to negotiate with prosecutors to try to resolve these cases is essential. Just due to what is at stake and the possible penalties, it is vital to have an experienced defense attorney.