The Many Faces of Drug Offenses
A defense attorney in Frederick, MD handling drug offenses sees many different types of cases. Most charges involve possession of illegal drugs, possession with intent to distribute illegal drugs, and drug trafficking. Once you are convicted of the charges, your criminal record becomes part of your background and is available to anyone doing background checks. It can be difficult to get a job or student loans. It's important to defend yourself against the charges and attempt to get them thrown out or at least reduced to the minimum charge possible.
Types of Drug Offenses
The law is complex in all areas, and that includes those covering drug offenses. The charges may involve either illegal or prescription drugs and the law covers manufacturing, distribution and possession.
Possession
The most common charge, a possession charge is a federal and state offense and carries serious consequences if convicted. Possession may be the actual custody of drugs like heroin, cocaine or ecstasy, or constructive possession in which you were in control of an area where the drugs are found. With such a broad definition, it's easy to see how people can be charged with possession when in fact they were not. A defense attorney may be able to get the possession charge thrown out or at least reduced by considering the facts of the search and seizure process.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing of drugs is exactly what it sounds like €" the making of drugs. Making drugs includes actually producing them in a laboratory or growing illegal plants like marijuana. It is also illegal to possess substances used to make drugs if you intend on manufacturing the substances. That's why common cold medicines are kept behind the pharmacy counter now because they contain chemicals used to manufacture certain illegal drugs.
Delivery or Distribution
Delivery or distribution charges refers to the delivery of controlled substances. Like the possession charge, you can have actual delivery and constructive delivery. An actual delivery involves handing the drugs to another person or selling them for money. Constructive distribution means you participated in the process of getting the drugs to another person even though you did not actually handle the exchange of drugs for money.
A criminal defense attorney in Frederick, MD may be able to question the charge based on intent. For the constructive charge to €stick€ the prosecutor must be able to prove you intended on delivering the drugs.
Questioning the Evidence
An attorney in Frederick, MD with experience in drug case defenses will thoroughly investigate the evidence. Sometimes it is possible to have the evidence suppressed if there were any violations of constitutional rights including a lack of probable cause for a search and seizure. If evidence is suppressed, the charges may be dropped due to lack of evidence.
If you are faced with a drug charge, it's important to get an attorney involved right away. The evidence and circumstances of the charge are much easier to investigate while memories are fresh. A strong defense by a criminal defense attorney in Frederick, MD is the best chance you have of avoiding a long jail sentence.
Types of Drug Offenses
The law is complex in all areas, and that includes those covering drug offenses. The charges may involve either illegal or prescription drugs and the law covers manufacturing, distribution and possession.
Possession
The most common charge, a possession charge is a federal and state offense and carries serious consequences if convicted. Possession may be the actual custody of drugs like heroin, cocaine or ecstasy, or constructive possession in which you were in control of an area where the drugs are found. With such a broad definition, it's easy to see how people can be charged with possession when in fact they were not. A defense attorney may be able to get the possession charge thrown out or at least reduced by considering the facts of the search and seizure process.
Manufacturing
Manufacturing of drugs is exactly what it sounds like €" the making of drugs. Making drugs includes actually producing them in a laboratory or growing illegal plants like marijuana. It is also illegal to possess substances used to make drugs if you intend on manufacturing the substances. That's why common cold medicines are kept behind the pharmacy counter now because they contain chemicals used to manufacture certain illegal drugs.
Delivery or Distribution
Delivery or distribution charges refers to the delivery of controlled substances. Like the possession charge, you can have actual delivery and constructive delivery. An actual delivery involves handing the drugs to another person or selling them for money. Constructive distribution means you participated in the process of getting the drugs to another person even though you did not actually handle the exchange of drugs for money.
A criminal defense attorney in Frederick, MD may be able to question the charge based on intent. For the constructive charge to €stick€ the prosecutor must be able to prove you intended on delivering the drugs.
Questioning the Evidence
An attorney in Frederick, MD with experience in drug case defenses will thoroughly investigate the evidence. Sometimes it is possible to have the evidence suppressed if there were any violations of constitutional rights including a lack of probable cause for a search and seizure. If evidence is suppressed, the charges may be dropped due to lack of evidence.
If you are faced with a drug charge, it's important to get an attorney involved right away. The evidence and circumstances of the charge are much easier to investigate while memories are fresh. A strong defense by a criminal defense attorney in Frederick, MD is the best chance you have of avoiding a long jail sentence.