A drug crime is a serious offense and being convicted of one can seriously affect your life. If you are charged with a drug crime in the Jacksonville, Florida area, you need the services of an aggressive and experienced Jacksonville criminal defense attorney to advocate for you.
There are a number of drug offenses that someone can be charged with. These offenses range from simple possession to drug trafficking. The penalties for being charged with a drug crime are also varied, and can range from a fine or probation to a lengthy prison sentence depending on the charge. Therefore, if you have been charged with a drug crime, it is important for you to retain the services of a skilled drug crimes attorney in Jacksonville.
Controlled substances are substances whose use and distribution are ‘controlled’ by the law. This can be either state law, federal law, or both. There are different classes or schedules of controlled substances under both federal and state law. Substances such as marijuana generally carry a Schedule I classification, whereas cocaine is generally a Schedule II drug.
Possession is the most common drug charge that a person with a drug crime is likely to face. For a person to be convicted of possession, he or she must knowingly and intentionally possess a controlled substance without a valid medical prescription. Furthermore, the quantity possessed must be sufficient for personal use or sale. In addition, the controlled substance does not have to be on the defendant’s person for the charged to be sustained; the defendant can have constructive possession of the substance if it is stored in a place which is under the defendant’s control. If you have been charged with possession in the Jacksonville area, a Jacksonville drug crime attorney can help to advocate for your rights and minimize the penalties which you receive.
Distribution and trafficking of controlled substances carry much stiffer penalties. To be charged with one of these offenses, a person must sell, deliver, or provide controlled substances to another illegally. For a distribution charge to rise to the level of trafficking, the quantity which the defendant tried or actually supplied must be of a sufficient quantity of the control substance to face a more severe charge under state or federal law. As these drug crimes can carry very stiff penalties. If you have been charged with a drug offense in the Jacksonville area, a criminal defense attorney Jacksonville can provide you with the representation that you need to faces these charges.
