Because of the life-altering consequences involved in being charged with a drug crime, it's important to obtain the services of our experienced Drug Crime Lawyer staff, if you or someone you love is charged with a drug crime.
In the United States, drug crimes are taken very seriously by law enforcement and the judges. Over the past few decades, laws and punishments for drug-related offenses have become more strict and severe, despite the fact that public opinion on the legalization of certain drugs (marijuana for example) is swaying. Drugs are such a big issue that there is an office for the Federal DEA right on Long Island, N.Y.
In New York, there are a variety of types of drug crimes that a person can be charged with. The most commonly committed drug crimes are:
Drug Possession – which means that a person is carrying illegal narcotics or controlled substances for personal use or for sale.
Possession with intent to distribute – which means that a person is carrying illegal narcotics with the intent to sell them.
Drug manufacturing – which means that a person is knowingly making illegal drugs like LSD, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, etc.
While there are a multitude of drug crimes there are also a multitude of drug crime punishments. In most cases, the punishment a person will receive for their drug crime conviction will depend largely on whether they have a past criminal record, what kind and what quantities of drugs were found and whether any minors were involved.
A person who is charged with a crime such as drug possession may face any number of sentences if they're found guilty, including but not limited to:
In addition to these penalties, it's important to keep in mind that a felony drug conviction may result in a permanent criminal record that can severely impact your ability to get a good job, get a loan for a home or college, and own a firearm.
Possession, drug trafficking and possession with the intent to sell are all very serious offenses in New York as in the rest of the country. Law enforcement agencies are cracking down on people who are buying, selling and making illegal narcotics even if it's for personal use. In addition to drugs like LSD and cocaine, law enforcement are also cracking down on people for violations to the prescription drug laws. If you hold a prescription for a particular medication you may be charged with a drug crime if you sell or give that medication to someone else. Our New York Drug Crime Lawyer group states that because of the crackdown on drug-related crimes, many of these cases are forwarded over to federal courts, which means that a person convicted of a federal drug crime in federal court may face a much stiffer penalty than if they were tried in a state court.
In addition to drug possession it is also a crime to possess drug paraphernalia. Drug paraphernalia can best be described as items used for the consumption, manufacture or transport of illegal narcotics. Of course, it's the prosecutor's job to prove that items like plastic bags and scales are indeed used for illegal activities, and that's why it's so vital to have our experienced New York Criminal Lawyer team working in your defense if you're ever charged with a drug crime.
In many cases where a person has committed their first offense, a good criminal defense attorney can work with prosecutors to get the charges reduced so that the client won't face jail time. In addition, our experienced Drug Lawyer staff will scrutinize all the evidence against their client to determine if it was obtained by an illegal search and seizure. This type of evidence should be inadmissible in court.
If you or a loved one is facing a drug offense charge, call our Drug Crime Lawyer team to schedule a free consultation. Contact Stephen Bilkis & Associates, PLLC at 800.696.9529 or contact one of our New York City offices serving Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens, the Bronx or Brooklyn, or in Westchester County or one of our Long Island offices in Nassau County or Suffolk County.