Our law firm practices exclusively in the area of Criminal Defense, Drug Crime Defense, DUI Defense, Drunk Driving Defense and Juvenile Criminal Defense. We have defended clients in virtually every county in the state.
Criminal Drug Crime Defense is a highly specialized area of law. We know the law, we know the system, we understand what criminal defendants are going through, and we know how to get results.
The Controlled Substance Act classifies narcotics into 5 different categories or “schedules”, the most serious being “Schedule 1” offenses that include narcotics such as heroine, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, LSD and PCP. A conviction of a schedule 1 drug crime can carry up to 20 years in prison plus fines. If this is your third conviction, however, there is the possibility of life in prison.
The U.S. Department of Justice outlines the type of drug and associated penalty. Please refer to their website for complete details.
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/agency/penalties.htm.
Our Firm specializes in criminal law. The outcome of a recent case is as follows:
NOT GUILTY VERDICTS ON ALL COUNTS. Defendant charged with 1) possession for sale of methamphetamine; 2) possession for sale of cocaine; 3) receiving stolen property, a shotgun. The defendant was also charged with being “armed with a firearm” during the commission of the drug offenses.
The defendant was facing over 17 years in prison. The jury found him not guilty in less than 1 hour! Defense included the use of investigators, fingerprint experts, forensic audio analysis experts, and 12 civilian witnesses.
Marijuana drug possession carries less severe penalties provided there was no violence during the crime. Sentences for marijuana possession also depend on the amount of marijuana confiscated. Large amounts of marijuana may have the same consequences as cocaine or heroine possession.
Proposition 36, which took effect on July 1, 2001 offers substance-abuse treatment in lieu of jail for certain drug possession convictions. People convicted of a non-violent Drug possession offense may be eligible for this program provided:
- they did not use a firearm during the crime,
- they were not convicted of another crime in the same case, and
- they did not have prior convictions within the last 5 years.
Under “Prop 36”, drug offenders will receive probation with the stipulation that they participate in a substance abuse program for a period of one year and agree to follow up care.
If you or a loved one has been arrested or charged with a drug crime, the most important call you can make will be to a criminal defense attorney. Violating the laws in California can bring very severe penalties. There is nothing more important than having an aggressive and experienced law firm on your side. An aggressive and experienced law firm may be able to get your charges reduced and in some cases dismissed. If jail time is inevitable, an exceptional lawyer may be able to get this jail time reduced or convince the court to allow a suitable alternative to jail time such as home monitoring, work furlough, Caltrans, or drug rehabilitation.
WE LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED TO DEFEND OUR CLIENTS!