NARCOTICS and DRUG CASES
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Vigorous, Expert Defense of Narcotics and Drug Charges, Domestic and International
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Roger C. Wilson has extensive experience defending persons accused of violating federal narcotics laws and of related crimes such as money laundering and racketeering. Our clients have included alleged senior cartel members, multinational traffickers, and “street-level” actors. We handle cases across the spectrum, from simple possession charges to large-scale international trafficking. No case is too small or too large, too simple or too complex.
We are particularly situated to assist clients with important aspects of international cases. Formerly, Roger practiced international law with a large, prominent international law firm in Washington, DC, where he represented many clients (mostly corporate, including banks) in such areas as sanctions-related enforcement matters with the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Controls (OFAC) as well as in government-related international litigation generally. Roger also has served as an adjunct law school professor teaching courses in international law and federal courts.
From this substantial private-sector experience, we have expertise in areas often uniquely involved in international narcotics cases. One example is the complex legal regime governing extradition of charged persons to the United States from foreign countries. Another example is asset freezes and sanctions applied against foreign persons as well as U.S. persons under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (the so-called "Kingpin Act", 21 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq.) (distinct from the Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute, 21 U.S.C. § 848 et seq. -- the so-called Foreign Kingpin Statute"), also administered by OFAC.
We are particularly situated to assist clients with important aspects of international cases. Formerly, Roger practiced international law with a large, prominent international law firm in Washington, DC, where he represented many clients (mostly corporate, including banks) in such areas as sanctions-related enforcement matters with the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Controls (OFAC) as well as in government-related international litigation generally. Roger also has served as an adjunct law school professor teaching courses in international law and federal courts.
From this substantial private-sector experience, we have expertise in areas often uniquely involved in international narcotics cases. One example is the complex legal regime governing extradition of charged persons to the United States from foreign countries. Another example is asset freezes and sanctions applied against foreign persons as well as U.S. persons under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (the so-called "Kingpin Act", 21 U.S.C. § 1901 et seq.) (distinct from the Continuing Criminal Enterprise Statute, 21 U.S.C. § 848 et seq. -- the so-called Foreign Kingpin Statute"), also administered by OFAC.
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International Cases
Roger has represented many persons charged in complex international narcotics trafficking cases. We have particular experience representing persons prosecuted in the United States for conduct abroad--including entirely abroad--for alleged violation of United States narcotics laws. Our cases have involved clients from and conduct in numerous foreign countries, including Bolivia, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Spain, and Switzerland. Extradition We have substantial experience in the extradition context. A number of our clients have been extradited to the United States from foreign countries, including Colombia, Mexico, Spain, and Switzerland. This specialized context presents unique challenges, and also possible defense opportunities, for persons targeted for extradition to the United States. It is particularly important for persons detained abroad pursuant to U.S. extradition requests to consult with U.S. legal counsel as soon as possible after arrest abroad. We can work with foreign counsel or directly with clients abroad facing extradition to the United States. We can assist foreign counsel in resisting extradition from a foreign country, including by advising on American law and the charges involved in the extradition request. We can investigate the circumstances of the American case or investigation in which extradition is sought. We can consult with government officials in the United States regarding and in advance of the extradition, including with a view to resolving pending or anticipated charges. And by early attention to the cases of clients facing extradition, we can help to place the clients in the most advantageous position possible when extradition occurs. We also assist persons faced with extradition from the United States to other countries. The Kingpin Act |
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RESULTS
The following are a few examples of our successes in complex narcotics cases:
The following are a few examples of our successes in complex narcotics cases:
- For a client under federal investigation for money laundering, we consulted with prosecutors to explain the true situation and persuaded them to not charge our client.
- For a client extradited to the U.S. from Colombia and accused of high-level involvement in a transnational cocaine distribution network in Central and South America, and facing up to life imprisonment, we identified problems with the extradition of the client to the United States and obtained a time-served (pre-trial) sentence and release.
- For a client from Latin America charged with involvement in a major narcotics distribution conspiracy while incarcerated in the United States, and facing up to life imprisonment here, we engaged in extensive litigation and negotiations involving the client's deteriorating health condition, which resulted in a release of the client with a time-served (pre-trial) sentence and immediate deportation of the client to his home country.
- For a client extradited to the U.S. from Switzerland/Spain, charged with involvement in narcotics distribution involving Europe, the Caribbean, and South America, and facing 20 years of imprisonment, we discovered critical problems in the Government’s evidence used for extradition of the client, as result of which in substantial part we were able to obtain a resolution of the case with a sentence of 48 months followed by immediate deportation. With credit for time-served in connection with and after extradition, the client was released one year after sentencing.
- For a client accused of improperly importing and selling over-the-counter drugs, we consulted with the prosecutors and persuaded them to dismiss the case; the client was released based on time-served.
- For a client accused of illegal entry into the United States and criminal conduct here, we consulted with the prosecutors regarding the true situation and persuaded the prosecutors to dismiss the latter charges and deport the client.
- Our client, a single mother of two young children, who had been brought to the U.S. by her parents as a young girl but had not gained secure immigration status, was charged with others working at a "pill mill" "pain management" medical clinic, where client had only recently obtained a job as a medical assistant. In a DEA undercover operation, our client and numerous others at the clinic were arrested and charged with narcotics trafficking conspiracy, which would have caused the certain deportation of our client upon conviction. After extensive negotiations with prosecutors, we secured a resolution by which our client was permitted to plead to a non-drug (and much lesser) offense and thereby avoid deportation.
- We have represented multiple law enforcement officers charged with crimes, including protecting narcotics deals while on duty and transporting narcotics in official vehicles. We have negotiated the resolutions of those cases with sentences far below the sentencing exposure of such persons under the United States Sentencing Guidelines—including in cases in which all the actions of our clients were done while under active federal surveillance. In several cases representing law enforcement officers we have by negotiations avoided criminal charges for the clients altogether.
1100 Peachtree Street, Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30309