Willoughby Drug Crime Lawyer

Drug Crime Attorney In Willoughby

In Ohio, like in other parts of the country, drug crimes continue to be a significant issue. Marijuana remains illegal in Ohio, and abuse of both heroin and meth are at epidemic levels. Vicodin, Percocet, and other prescription painkillers or narcotics are commonly used illegally.

You may have made some mistakes and become involved in a drug-related incident. Whether you are guilty of such an offense or you are innocent, you need legal help to defend your rights and your future.

Various charges are possible when it comes to drugs and drug crimes. The attorneys at Fortress Law Group draw upon years of experience to defend people accused of these infractions in Ohio.

You may be facing the prospect of spending time in jail. Consult our legal team so we can diligently explore viable strategies to reduce or drop your drug crime charges.

Types Of Drug Crimes In Ohio

In Ohio, drug crimes can be either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the severity. There are several types of drug charges a person could face. These are:

• Drug possession
• Drug manufacturing or cultivation
• Drug trafficking
• Drug sales and distribution
• Pharmaceutical drug sales
• Medical professional criminal drug charges
• Federal drug charges
• Misdemeanor drug charges

Drug possession can be a misdemeanor or felony charge, depending on what and how many drugs you have. The severity of the circumstances also plays a role in the other two types of drug crimes.

At Fortress Law Group, we defend good people accused of bad things. If you are facing any drug charges in Ohio, contact us today to schedule a case evaluation.

Punishments You Could Face For Drug Charges In Ohio

Possession of a small amount of schedule II, IV, or V drugs is typically a first-degree misdemeanor, which has a sentence of up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. However, the more you have of a drug, the stiffer the penalties will be. If you have more than a small amount, the charges will likely rise to a felony, especially if you are found with a more dangerous drug such as heroin or cocaine.

Possession of drug paraphernalia is charged as a misdemeanor, ranging between fourth- and second-degree. Drug paraphernalia is anything that was used in relation to drugs, which could include items such as bags, weighing scales, syringes, or pipes. Possession of drug abuse instruments would qualify as a second-degree misdemeanor. However, marijuana paraphernalia is usually charged as a fourth-degree misdemeanor.

Drug cultivation and manufacturing means you have the materials and equipment necessary to produce certain drugs. The penalties can be heavy, depending on how much you are producing and what types of drugs you have. Some penalties with this charge include up to10 years in prison and up to $20,000 in fines.

Often, the most severe consequences come with trafficking charges. A person with a trafficking accusation was found holding a controlled substance with the alleged intent to distribute. Often, law enforcement officers will catch an offender in the act of selling drugs. Federal drug trafficking charges range in punishment by type of drug and quantity. Charges for trafficking 50 grams of marijuana will be limited to no more than 5 years in prison, but drug traffickers could be punished with 10 years to life in prison for 1 kg of heroin, 5 kg of cocaine, or 1000 kg of marijuana. Trafficking 500 grams of cocaine or 100 grams of heroin could bring 5 to 40 years in prison.

Defenses For Drug Charges In Ohio

A Willoughby drug crime attorney from Fortress Law Group will do a thorough review of your case and examine the evidence against you. A common defense is that law enforcement illegally searched you when they seized the drugs. Entrapment and false accusations are also possibilities with drug crimes.

There can also be a question over whether you truly had possession of a controlled substance. You must have had “dominion and control” over the substance. If officers found drugs in a car you were driving, those drugs could belong to anyone else in the car. The same can be true for drugs in your home that may belong to a roommate.

Contact Fortress Law Group today for a case evaluation to start building your defense case.