Orlando Drug Crimes Lawyer

Drug crime arrest is a serious matter requiring the careful attention of a skilled and experienced defense attorney. It’s likely that you’ll be under investigation before you’re even aware you are a suspect, and once you’ve been formally charged you can expect to face intense prosecution.

To ensure you have the aggressive defense needed throughout the criminal process, it’s imperative that you speak with an Orlando drug crime defense attorney with Katz & Phillips, P.A. We’ll work to protect your rights and help you resolve your case with the best possible outcome.

Common Drug Crime Scenarios

The most common drug crime charges include possession, distribution, and manufacturing. The penalties for these charges can be severe even if relatively small amounts of a drug are involved, and even if the person isn’t part of a major drug-trafficking operation.

You might be a college student who was arrested when police saw some marijuana in your dorm room. You might have been driving with a friend when an officer pulled you over and arrested you because they saw a packet of cocaine by the passenger seat.

A bunch of people at a party might have been taking a so-called “party drug” such as Adderall. Even if a person with a valid prescription hands one pill to another person, that’s still considered a felony distribution of a controlled substance.

The point is that regardless of the scenario, being arrested for any sort of drug charge is nothing to take lightly. Even if you’re convinced the charge is minor, you could face incredibly harsh penalties.

What to Do After Being Charged With a Drug Crime

The first thing to remember is that being charged isn’t the same as being convicted, so you need to stay calm. You might feel a lot of pressure and be tempted to try to leave the area, but that will only make matters much worse.

Never sign anything that police or anyone else may put in front of you – and don’t say anything. You have the constitutional right to remain silent, and you should exercise it. Never make any kind of statement, or do anything else for that matter, without having your attorney present.

Contact our skilled criminal defense lawyers in Orlando as soon as you possibly can and don’t answer the police’s questions during interrogation without your attorney.

At Katz & Phillips, P.A., not only do we have experience in cases similar to yours, but we’ve also worked on the prosecution’s side before opening our firm, which means we have an invaluable perspective on how the prosecutor will approach your case and the strategies they’ll likely use. This could give you a huge advantage.

Florida Drug Crimes & Penalties

At Katz & Phillips, P.A., we have experience defending clients against a wide range of drug crimes, such as drug possession, possession with intent to sell, marijuana cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, drug sales, drug trade, trafficking, transportation, or crimes involving prescription drugs.

Distribution

Drug distribution penalties increase in severity depending on the type and quantity of the drug. Marijuana distribution, for example, is usually penalized less harshly than distribution cases involving cocaine or heroin.

The distribution of heroin can carry extremely stiff penalties, as it’s considered one of the more dangerous drugs in circulation. If you are in possession of 4 to 14 grams and an officer believes you were trying to sell it, that could result in a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of three years and a fine of $50,000.

These minimum terms and fines increase based on the amount in possession, going as high as a minimum of 25 years in prison and a fine of $500,000.

Possession

If you are facing charges of drug possession in Florida much is at stake – especially if you’re facing possession with intent to sell. Without an attorney’s help, you have little to no chance of avoiding a conviction, which may result in imprisonment, probation, drug counseling or rehabilitation, heavy fines, and more.

For instance, penalties involved in a cocaine-related conviction can be very steep, even for cases involving simple possession. Possession itself is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison or probation and a $5,000 fine. Upon conviction. you could also lose your driver’s license for up to two years.

Trafficking

Simply speaking, the criminal act of drug trafficking is most commonly considered to be a federal crime as it crosses state borders most of the time. This is not to say that it is not considered by state law. The penalties laid out by Florida law differ depending on the drug itself that is being trafficked and the amount. For example:

• Cocaine – For trafficking of more than 400 grams but less than 150 kilograms, the penalties include mandatory imprisonment of 15 years and a fine of $250,000.
• Heroin – For trafficking between 28 grams and 30 kilograms, you could be looking at a minimum prison sentence of 25 years and a $500,000 fine.
• Marijuana – For trafficking of 2,000 to 10,000 pounds and not more than 2,000 plants, the minimum prison sentence is seven years, and the fine could be $50,000

Brief Overview of Drug Schedules

Penalties will often lie in line with the different Schedules of the drug; for example, trafficking a Schedule I drug will have similar penalties to other Schedule I drugs, but will be more severe than a Schedule V drug.

To best understand the different Schedules, please review the below:

• Schedule V – Low potential for abuse paired with a widely accepted medical use. This could include a drug such as a cough suppressant with a low level of codeine.

• Schedule IV – Low potential for abuse, but more potential than Schedule V. There’s a medical use that is currently accepted. Examples include Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, and the like.

• Schedule III – These substances have a potential for abuse less than those in Schedules I and II, there’s a currently accepted medical use for them, and abuse of the substance may lead to physical dependence and/or damage. Examples include anabolic steroids, testosterone, and androsterone.

• Schedule II – There is a high potential for abuse, and there are accepted but severely restricted medical uses. Examples include cocaine, opium, oxycodone, and morphine.
• Schedule I – These drugs are considered the most dangerous, have the highest potential for abuse, and currently don’t have any accepted medical use. Examples include heroin, marijuana, peyote, and ecstasy.

When to Contact an Attorney

The one-word answer is, “immediately.” The sooner you get legal help, the more time your lawyer will have to work on your behalf. Don’t answer any questions of any kind, other than stating your name. The police aren’t your friends in this case. They’re trying to get you to admit something that could damage your case beyond repair.

You should also talk to your lawyer even if you haven’t been charged with a crime, but you’ve learned you’re under investigation.

Why Should You Hire an Orlando Drug Crime Defense Attorney?

There are a lot of reasons to hire a skilled, experienced lawyer. These are just a few to keep in mind.

• Understanding the court system – The Orlando criminal defense attorneys from Katz & Phillips, P.A. have a deep knowledge of the local court system. They’re familiar with all of the prosecuting attorneys and are often able to leverage those relationships to the benefit of their clients. That will often help them negotiate reduced sentences, or sometimes even have charges dropped completely.

• Working in your best interests – An attorney will work hard to help you achieve the best possible result in your case. They’ll be in your corner at every turn, and will keep you completely informed at all times.

• Experience – Having a lawyer on your side with experience will be critical because they’ll know the most effective strategies to use in your specific situation.

Contact Our Drug Crime Defense Law Firm in Orlando

From a first marijuana possession charge to a case involving a prescription drug, your choice of a criminal defense lawyer will have a large impact on the outcome of your case. Make the right choice by working with an experienced firm that has the resources to fully investigate your charges and develop an innovative, personalized defense strategy that addresses your unique concerns.

We understand that cases such as this can have a detrimental, devastating effect on the rest of your life, and we are thus devoted to ensuring that you are never without the proper level of defense. Your future is simply too important to leave up to chance. By working with the legal team from our firm, you can be confident that your case will be in completely trustworthy hands.

Contact an Orlando drug crime attorney at Katz & Phillips, P.A. today by calling (321) 332-6884.