What Are the Penalties for Drug Trafficking in Texas?

Under Texas law, drug trafficking refers to the act of manufacturing or possessing illegal drugs with the intention of delivering them. Compared to drug possession, drug trafficking is a much more serious crime.

In Texas, controlled substances are categorized based on their penalty groups. These groups were introduced under the Texas Controlled Substances Act. To determine your particular offense's penalties, you must carefully understand each penalty group.

1. Set of Penalties for Group 1 Substances

As broken down by the Texas Controlled Substances Act, Group 1 substances carry a high risk of abuse. As a result, the penalties are very serious. These drugs include cocaine, methadol, oxycodone, methamphetamines, ketamine, morphine, fentanyl, heroin, desmorphine, and other types of cocaine. If you’re caught trafficking these drugs, your charges will be as follows:

 

Sentence	Weight (g)	Prison Term	Fine
State Jail Felony	Less than 1 g	Between 180 days and 2 years	Up to $10,000
Second Degree Felony	Between 1g and 4 g	Between 2 and 20 years	Up to $10,000
First Degree Felony	Between 4 g and 200 g	Between 5 and 99 years	Up to 10,000
Life Felony	Between 200 g and 400 g	Between 10 and 99 years	Up to $100,000
Life Felony	More than 400 g	Between 15 and 99 years	Up to $250,000

 

2. Set of Penalties for Group 1-A Substances

Group 1-A substances include LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide). The penalties are as follows:

 

Sentence	Abuse Units	Prison Term	Fine
State Jail Felony	Less than 20 units	Between 180 days and 2 years	Up to $10,000
Second Degree Felony	Between 20 and 80 units	Between 2 and 20 years	Up to $10,000
First Degree Felony	Between 80 and 4,000 units	Between 5 and 99 years	Up to $10,000
Life Felony	Less than 4,000 units	Between 15 and 99 years	Up to $250,000

 

3. Set of Penalties for Group 2 or 2-A Substances

Group 2 and 2-A substances have a high risk of chemical dependency. They include synthetic cannabinoids: ecstasy, MDMA, mescaline, psilocin, amphetamine, and tetrahydrocannabinols other than marijuana. The penalties are as follows:

 

Sentence	Weight (g)	Prison Term	Fine
State Jail Felony	Less than 1 g	Between 180 days and 2 years	Up to $10,000
Second Degree Felony	Between 1 g and 4 g	Between 2 and 20 years	Up to $10,000
First Degree Felony	Between 4 g and 400 g	Between 5 and 99 years	Up to $10,000
Life Felony	Less than 400 g	Between 10 and 99 years	Up to $100,000

4. Set of Penalties for Group 3 Substances

Group 3 substances include depressants like Ritalin, Xanax, Ativan, Valium, and anabolic steroids. The charges are as follows:

 

Sentence	Weight (g)	Prison Term	Maximum Fine
Class A Misdemeanor	Less than 28 g	Up to 1 year	Up to $4,000
Third-Degree Felony	Between 28 g and 200 g	Up to 10 years	Up to $10,000
Second-Degree Felony	Between 200 g and 400 g	Up to 20 years	Up to $10,000
First-Degree Felony	400 g or more	Up to 99 years	Up to $50,000

5. Set of Penalties for Group 4 Substances

 

Group 4 drugs contain a small dose of narcotics. They have a low risk of dependency and carry lighter penalties. Here’s a breakdown:

 

Sentence	Weight (g)	Prison Term	Maximum Fine
Class B Misdemeanor	Less than 28 g	Up to 180 days	Up to $2,000
Third-Degree Felony	Between 28 g and 200 g	Up to 10 years	Up to $10,000
Second-Degree Felony	Between 200 g and 400 g	Up to 20 years	Up to $10,000
First-Degree Felony	400 g or more	Up to 99 years	Up to $50,000

 

If you were recently charged with drug trafficking, you might panic upon reading these charges. Fortunately, you can increase your chances of mitigating the consequences of drug trafficking by partnering with the right lawyer. They’ll collect critical evidence and work towards getting your charges reduced or even dropped.

 

Are you looking for a criminal defense lawyer in Texas? Attorney JL Carpenter should be your first call. Over the years, she has handled numerous drug possession, trafficking, and manufacturing cases. Whether you’re caught trafficking marijuana, crack, meth, ecstasy, cocaine, steroids, or any other drugs, JL will build an aggressive defense for you.

 

Click here to contact her today. She also works on DWI, domestic violence, and family violence cases, among others. She’s active throughout the Greater Houston area, including Friendswood, Clear Lake, League City, and Galveston, among other regions.