Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act

MDLEA

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Category: § 70506

Simple possession of controlled substances under the MDLEA

Posted on Aug 25Aug 25 by Sean Gajewski

Let’s start by limiting the scope of this post. This post is only going provide information for simple possession under the MDLEA, not under Title 21. See e.g., 21 U.S.C. § 844 (“It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance…”). In general, extraterritorial application of federal criminal law…

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First Circuit Rules Safety-Valve Provision Did Not Apply to MDLEA

Posted on Jun 9Jun 11 by Sean Gajewski

Take-away: At time of defendant’s sentencing in June 2018, the statutory safety-valve provision, which allowed relief from statutory mandatory minimum sentences, did not apply to offenses under the Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act (MDLEA). This case stems a December 11, 2017 interdiction by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG). The USCG intercepted a go-fast vessel in the…

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Recent Blog Posts

  • 11th Circuit Affirms MDLEA Convictions in U.S. v. Jimenez Marin Upholding Jurisdiction Under Felonies Clause
  • The 5th Circuit Weighs in on Determining Jurisdiction Before Change of Plea
  • Florida Court Rules that MDLEA Can Snare Drug Traffickers Who Never Set Sail
  • Supreme Court Denies Davila-Reyes Defendants’ Petition
  • District of Puerto Rico Addresses Jurisdiction for a Third Time in U.S. v. Thomas Chalwell

Latest Decisions

  • United States v. Velez-Acosta, No. 22-13528, 2024 WL 806537 (11th Cir. Feb. 27, 2024)
  • U.S. v. Osvaldo Gonzalez, No. 22-cr-20350-ALTMAN, 2023 WL 4580901 (S.D.Fla. July 18, 2023)
  • U.S. v. Barbosa-Rodriguez, — F.Supp.3d —-, 2023 WL 4230143 (D.P.R. June 28, 2023)
  • U.S. v. Mariani-Romero, et al., No. 22-313 (FAB), 2022 WL 20184569 (D.P.R. June 22, 2023)
  • U.S. v. Iona-Dejesus, No. 22-20473-CR, 2023 WL 3980082 (S.D. Fla. May 4, 2023)

Disclaimer

This blog is written by an attorney employed by the U.S. Government. However, all views expressed on this website are mine and should not be construed as the views of the U.S. Government, including the U.S. Coast Guard.

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