Federal Government Changes Course on Drug Sentencing

On August 12, 2013, the Justice Department drastically altered their policy on mandatory minimum sentences for low-level drug cases. Specifically, the Federal government has ordered Federal Prosecutors to omit listing the quantities of illegal narcotics on indictments for “low-level” offenders. This change in direction is intended to ease the overcrowding in so many Federal prisons. It remains to be seen how this policy will be implemented by Federal Prosecutors around the country. However, it is a critical piece of information that Federal criminal defense attorney’s must be mindful of when dealing with drug related cases in our nations Federal courts.