Types of Narcotics Offenses and Potential Defenses
Narcotics Offenses
TYPES OF DRUG CHARGES IN PENNSYLVANIA
If you have been arrested on narcotics charges, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately. We handle all types of narcotics cases - Simple Possession ("K&I), Possession with the Intent to Deliver ("PWID"), Criminal Use of a Communications Facility ("CUCF"), Possession of a Small Amount of Marijuana ("SAM"), cases involving confidential informants or sales to undercover narcotics officers, and more. Our talented attorneys have won motions to suppress the evidence and prevailed in even the toughest cases at preliminary hearing and trial.
If you are caught with drugs, there are a number of potential charges you could face. First and foremost, you could be charged with Possession with the Intent to Deliver. In Pennsylvania, PWID is a felony regardless of the type of a substance sold. PWID requires the prosecutor to show not only that you had actual or constructive possession of a controlled substance, but also that you either sold or intended to sell the controlled substance to someone. Second, if the police did not observe drug sales, you could be charged with Simple Possession or Knowing and Intentional Possession, which requires the Commonwealth to show that you were in possession of a controlled substance. Third, if a cell phone was involved in a drug transaction, you could be charged with Criminal Use of a Communications Facility.
DEFENSES TO DRUG CHARGES
It is critical that you speak with an experienced attorney as quickly as possible because there are a number of potential defenses to these charges. Our Philadelphia criminal trial lawyers have won numerous motions to suppress where the police conducted a search or made an arrest without reasonable suspicion or probable cause. If the police violated your rights, it may be possible to have the evidence suppressed and the charges dismissed. In PWID cases, we also work with the best expert witnesses in narcotics distribution to show the prosecutor, judge, or jury that drugs were not possessed with the intent to deliver. Through prompt and thorough investigation of a case, we may also be able to show that the narcotics belonged to someone else by finding witnesses or surveillance footage, or we may be able to show that the police just plain got the wrong guy. We have also been able to successfully negotiate for clients to participate in pre-trial diversionary programs which do not result in permanent convictions or other serious consequences.
CONSEQUENCES FOR DRUG CONVICTIONS
Even misdemeanor narcotics charges are serious. Many cases carry significant jail time, and there can be countless life-changing collateral consequences to a conviction ranging from the loss of driving privileges to the loss of professional licenses, student financial aid, and employment. If you are charged with selling or possessing illegal drugs, you need an experienced lawyer who can investigate and evaluate your case, determine if your rights have been violated, and provide you with all of the options and a strong defense. You should not assume that you have to plead guilty just because the police found drugs on or near you. The Commonwealth has to prove that the search was legal and that the drugs were yours, and we have the experience to challenge them every step of the way.
CALL A PHILADELPHIA DRUG LAWYER TODAY
If you or a loved one has been charged with a narcotics offense in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, call 267-225-2545 now for a free, confidential, and honest consultation.
