Drug crimes and their corresponding penalties vary depending upon the type of drug, the quantity and what the drug was intended for. They can range from simplepossession for personal use, to manufacturing, todistribution, to trafficking.
Some drug crimes are prosecuted as misdemeanors, while others are prosecuted as felonies. Certain drug crimes are “wobblers” in the state of California, meaning they can be prosecuted as either misdemeanors or felonies depending on the facts surrounding the case. In fact, some of the more serious drug-related offenses fall under the category offederal crime and are punished as such.
In the United States, the manufacture, importation, possession, use and distribution of certain drugs is federally regulated. This regulation is managed under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which was enacted into law by Congress as Title II of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. Contained within the CSA, drugs are categorized under five schedules, with schedule one substances being the most severe. Both the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), determine which substances are added and removed from these schedules.
No matter whether you are facing a misdemeanor or afelony charge, a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney will be able to fully advise you of what penalties that you are facing, and what defense options are available to you. If you are convicted of a drug crime, you are facing potential jail or prison time, fines, mandatory drug testing and/or counseling, registration of a narcotics offender and property seizure.
As drug crimes are very serious in nature, which have the potential of years behind bars, you shouldcontact a Los Angeles criminal defense lawyer at Martinian & Associates Inc. Their firm specializes in all types of criminal offenses includingDUI and drug-related offenses. Whenever your future and your freedom are at stake, you must protect yourself by hiring an experienced and aggressive attorney who will protect your legal rights – call them today!
