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Queens Drug Selling Lawyers
If you have been charged with possessing drugs with the intent of selling them, expect the courts to take these charges very seriously. Since selling controlled substances is a very serious criminal offense in New York, you could be facing a combination of penalties if convicted, which often include heavy fines and long jail or prison sentences. Depending upon the circumstances surrounding your arrest, your lawyer may be able to strike a deal with prosecutors to have your charges reduced, or in some cases even dropped. However, since these cases can be very complex, it is important to work with a defense lawyer who specializes in drug cases, such as those at Spodek Law.
Evidence is Crucial in These Cases
In most drug selling cases, evidence plays a key role in determining how your case will play out in court. In many situations, there may be multiple defendants involved in a case, which can sometimes play to your advantage. In some instances, even if you were found to be in possession of drugs, that does not necessarily mean you had the intention of selling them. Because this can be a determining factor in whether you are facing felony or misdemeanor charges, always hire the services of an experienced defense lawyer who regularly handles drug selling cases.
Penalties for Drug Selling Convictions
If you are convicted of selling drugs, you will not only face fines, jail or prison sentences, and possibly community service or court-ordered drug counseling, but also many other penalties that may impact your life for many years to come. For example, if you are a parent, you will likely lose custody of your children, or possibly have visitation rights limited or eliminated. Along with this, your driver’s license may be suspended, which can make it difficult to secure stable employment. And since you will now have a criminal record, it may become harder to not only find a job, but also gain suitable housing for you and your family. All of this, coupled with the embarrassment that comes with having a criminal record and having to possibly meet with a probation officer on a regular basis, can quickly wreak havoc with your personal and professional lives.
Consequences of Selling Various Drugs
While drug selling charges are considered extremely serious, the consequences associated with these charges can vary somewhat depending upon the types of drugs you were charged with selling. As an example, if you are found to be in possession of heroin with the intent of selling it to others, it is categorized as a Class A-2 offense. Because of this, being in possession of only four ounces of this substance can result in a sentence of life imprisonment. However, if you are selling marijuana, the penalties are generally less severe. In these cases, most offenders are sentenced to no more than 15 years in prison. Also, since marijuana is considered to be recreational and used by some for medicinal purposes, drug selling charges involving this substance can often be reduced if you are working with an experienced defense attorney. However, if you are charged with selling cocaine, expect to face Class A-1 felony charges. Falling somewhere in between heroin and marijuana in terms of the severeness of penalties, convictions of selling cocaine usually carry prison sentences of 15 years and $15,000 in fines. Also, a conviction for selling cocaine cannot be erased from your criminal record at a later date, so it will be with you forever.
Juvenile Offenders
In many cases, those who are considered juvenile offenders are charged with possession of and selling of drugs. In these cases, a defense lawyer from Raiser and Kenniff will work hard to create a defense that will reduce or diminish the charges against the juvenile offender, since in many cases the defendant will have no prior criminal record. However, since many of these drug transactions take place in school zones, courts often try to make an example of these defendants in an effort to deter others from committing the same crime. Because of this, it is crucial to rely on attorneys from the law firm of Raiser and Kenniff to have a solid defense to these charges.
Don’t deal with Queens Drug Selling Lawyers alone. Speak to the Spodek Law Group today.
Queens Drug Selling Lawyers
The prosecutorial system has every incentive to arrest, charge, and convict as many individuals as they can regardless of who is truly guilty and who is innocent. This is what you must keep foremost in mind if you have been arrested and charged with drug trafficking. The governing principle of American law is innocent until proven guilty. The minions within the prosecutor’s office pursue cases in a spirit that is the reverse of that: they assume you are guilty until you have shown yourself innocent.
That is why you should give them nothing; you should not make the slightest remark or statement until after you have spoken with your attorney. What you have been warned of when you were read your rights is quite true: anything you say or do can be used against you as they build their case for conviction. It is your right to remain silent; it is guaranteed by the constitution that you do not have to turn in evidence against yourself.
Police and prosecutors take liberties when it comes to drug cases. You might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time; you may happen to know people associated with trafficking, but that does not make you a drug distributor or seller. The sale and distribution of controlled substances—this is the legal definition of drug trafficking. Knowing someone who is suspected of engaging in such activity, being in their home when they arrested, being in the vicinity of the arrest, or being accused by another of selling drugs does not make you an actual drug trafficker.
The case must still be proven, and in all likelihood the state does not have the evidence to do that. You should not assume that you are going to be convicted and sent to jail because you have been arrested and charged with this crime. Working with a seasoned, well-established, well-connected lawyer will ensure that you are treated fairly, that your rights are protected, and that you are set free if you have had nothing to do with the sale and distribution of drugs.
You don’t want any old lawyer. The lawyer you work with should have specialized expertise in drug trafficking cases. They should have deep knowledge and insight into the drugs of law of New York State; they should know how to formulate a plan and strategy that will ensure an outcome that is favorable to you. This is the only acceptable standard for the lawyer who works your case.
There is no reason why you should succumb to the pressures and tactics of the prosecutorial system of the state. The desire of prosecuting attorneys to drive up their conviction rate at the expense of justice is a problem that is well-known and has been widely discussed and criticized by members of the public. You do all that is necessary to save yourself from becoming just another one of their numbers.
It is incumbent upon you to put up a fight. Suspecting someone of selling drugs is not the same as proving they have actually done so. It is harder than you might think to link controlled substances or the sales to a particular person. Unless a person is actually caught in the act of selling drugs, all the police and prosecutors have is a bunch of drugs with people around them.
A criminal defense lawyer will be able to interpret the evidence that prosecutors believe they have against you in a different light. Your lawyer will be able to discredit the case they have made and take other measures that will secure your release and ensure that the charges against you are dropped.