A criminal conspiracy may exist when two or more people form an agreement to do some act or refrain from doing some act in furtherance of a crime. A conspiracy to commit a crime is a crime in and of itself, which means that conspiracy is charged as a crime separate and apart from the crime that the parties to the conspiracy conspired to commit. Common conspiracy charges include:

• Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine
• Conspiracy to Import Heroin
• Conspiracy to Possess Narcotics with Intent to Distribute
• Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine, Heroin and Marijuana
• Conspiracy to Manufacture Ice, LSD, Ecstasy (MDMA) and Methamphetamines
• Conspiracy to Cultivate Marijuana

Most federal drug indictments include conspiracy charges because they permit prosecutors to charge whole groups of people for the same crime even if the relationship between the defendants is tenuous, and even if some of the defendants had very minor roles in the operation (such as being a drug courier or "mule"). One defendant committing a single overt act in connection with the crime may be sufficient to convict all defendants, even when that act was not a crime in and of itself, was not necessary to complete the crime the parties allegedly conspired to commit, and none of the other defendants did anything at all in furtherance of the alleged conspiracy.

You can be charged with felony drug conspiracy charges for simply having a short conversation with someone who is under investigation, or has been charged with drug crimes. Loaning your car, plane, boat or truck to a person who is caught committing a drug-related crime can result in a drug conspiracy charge and the seizure and forfeiture of your vehicle. Someone simply visiting or living in a house where drugs are sold often will be arrested with the main culprits when the police come with a warrant and will be charged with conspiracy, even if they did not know about the drugs or played a very minor role in the conspiracy. In drug cases, the penalties for conspiracy to commit the underlying crime acts are the same as their actual commission.

If you have been arrested or prosecuted for conspiracy to violate drug laws, call Anchor Criminal Defense for a free consultation.