Federal Drug Trial Set to Begin
Entertainment promoter Rashad Muhammad appears to be set for trial on marijuana smuggling charges after being in jail for nearly three years. A federal jury has been selected and the trial will begin in the beginning of May. Since Muhammad's arrest in 2008, news reports state that "the stakes have dramatically increased since the 40-year-old businessman was arrested in August 2008. North Charleston police initially accused Muhammad of trafficking nearly 500 pounds of marijuana into the city from Arizona. Since that time, however, federal prosecutors have tacked on allegations of money laundering, conspiracy and firearms violations. The total amount of marijuana he is accused of importing now stands at more than 1,000 kilos."
Before Muhammad was arrested, he contributed to many charities which include hosting dinners for the needy and helping Hurricane Katrina victims. Authorities say that this is all a "carefully cultivated front designed to mask the illicit activities of a master drug runner. If so, that all unraveled with the August 2008 seizure of nearly 500 pounds of marijuana and several guns." News reports also state that "Muhammad's federal defense attorney, Russell Mace of Myrtle Beach, sought to have the case tossed entirely, arguing that Muhammad had been denied his right to a speedy trial. Federal prosecutors countered that much of the delay was caused by Muhammad's legal maneuvering and switching attorneys."
If you or someone you know needs representation from a Charleston federal criminal defense attorney, please call The Mace Firm.
Our Charleston federal defense lawyer spends a significant amount of time in criminal courts throughout the country. There are criminal lawyers all over the United States, but few practice criminal defense in Charleston, New York, Miami, Detroit, Myrtle Beach, Columbia and several other areas of the country.
