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In 2018, drug overdose deaths from synthetic opioids — namely fentanyl and fentanyl analogs — totaled 2,195 in the state of New York. Another 998 individuals died of prescription opioid overdoses, and an additional 1,243 more from heroin overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In New York, prison sentences and other penalties depend on a number of factors, such as the defendant's criminal history, the nature of the crime, and other surrounding circumstances. Felonies in the state of New York carry multiple years of incarceration in state prison. In the event that the person has two or more previous felony convictions, they may be considered a “persistent felony offender,” and this may result in longer prison sentences.

New York is the country’s fourth most populous state, but it ranked second in cybercrime losses for 2020. Financial losses from cybercrime reached nearly $416 million in 2020. The state’s response to increasing rates of computer and cybercrime is tougher laws with steeper penalties for convictions.

Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program indicates that 1,462 persons were arrested for federal offenses by FBI field officers in New York in 2019. A federal conspiracy occurs when two or more people agree to commit a federal crime or defraud the United States.

In New York State, the appellate division is composed of four different departments that review issues and resolve appeals in both civil and criminal cases that come up from the lower courts.

Following the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School and other nationwide incidents, the State of New York in 2013 tightened firearm possession and registration laws and elevated criminal possession violations from misdemeanors to the felony level.

Prior to the New York Bail Reform act that took effect in January 2020, many people in New York were forced to wait in jail for months while their criminal cases were sorted out. The Bail Reform Act was designed to reduce the number of people waiting in jail by providing for both no pretrial incarceration and no cash bail in most misdemeanor and nonviolent felony cases.

According to a recent study performed by Backgroundchecks.org, more than 25,000 people are arrested in New York annually for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Every one of their lives will be negatively impacted forever by that arrest.

Conspiracy drug charges are complex. You don’t have to actually handle drugs or exchange money to be charged. You don’t have to be “caught in the act.” You don’t need to have actually executed a reported plan to manufacture, sell, or distribute drugs.

Facing a federal drug crime charge can have a lasting impact on your future. You may feel hopeless and scared. Federal drug convictions usually carry stiff penalties and potentially life-long consequences. It’s imperative that you take immediate action and speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney.