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<section article="gcr" article_name="Criminal Law" number="5-621" title_number="5" title_name="Controlled Dangerous Substances, Prescriptions, and Other Substances" subtitle_number="6" subtitle_name="Crimes Involving Controlled Dangerous Substances and Paraphernalia">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>“Drug trafficking crime” means a felony or a conspiracy to commit a felony involving the possession, distribution, manufacture, or importation of a controlled dangerous substance under §§ 5–602 through 5–609 and 5–614 of this subtitle.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Forfeiting authority” means the office or person designated by agreement between the State’s Attorney for a county and the chief executive officer of the governing body that has jurisdiction over the assets subject to forfeiture.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>During and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, a person may not:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>possess a firearm under sufficient circumstances to constitute a nexus to the drug trafficking crime; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>use, wear, carry, or transport a firearm.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In addition to the sentence provided for the drug trafficking crime, a person who violates subsection (b) of this section is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>for a first violation, imprisonment for not less than 5 years and not exceeding 20 years; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>for each subsequent violation, imprisonment for not less than 10 years and not exceeding 20 years.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>The court shall impose a minimum sentence of 5 years under paragraph (1)(i) of this subsection.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The court shall impose a minimum sentence of 10 years under paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <level label="i">
        <text>A court may not suspend any part of a mandatory minimum sentence.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Except as provided in § 4-305 of the Correctional Services Article, a person sentenced under this subsection is not eligible for parole.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>A sentence imposed under paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection shall be consecutive to and not concurrent with any other sentence imposed by virtue of the commission of the drug trafficking crime.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <level label="i">
        <text>In this subsection, “firearm silencer” means a device that is designed for silencing, muffling, or diminishing the report of a firearm.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Firearm silencer” includes a combination of parts designed, redesigned, or intended for use in assembling or fabricating a firearm silencer or muffler.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>A court shall double the minimum mandatory sentence provided in subsection (c)(1)(ii) of this section if the firearm used during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime is:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>listed in § 4-301 of this article or § 5-101 of the Public Safety Article;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a machine gun; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>equipped with a firearm silencer.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A firearm or ammunition seized under this section is contraband and shall be forfeited summarily to a forfeiting authority.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Unless otherwise prohibited by law or if forfeiture proceedings have begun, the forfeiting authority shall return the seized property to the owner or possessor within 90 days after the date of seizure if:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the owner or possessor of the property seized is acquitted; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the charges against the person are dismissed.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Unless otherwise prohibited by law, the forfeiting authority shall return the seized property to the owner or possessor promptly if the State:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>enters a nolle prosequi against the owner or possessor of property seized; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>does not charge the person within 90 days after the nolle prosequi is entered.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
