Waynesville Drug Crime Lawyer

Waynesville Drug Crime Lawyer

Every aspect of selling, using, or dealing drugs can come with some sort of criminal charge. Possession, trafficking, manufacturing, and distribution of charges are all different and can result in different sentencing times and fines. Understanding your individual charges can be difficult without legal counsel. To review your charges and learn more about your options, consider working with a Waynesville drug crime lawyer.

Drug Charges Defense NC: Understand Your Legal Options

From DWI charges to drug charges, the attorneys at Edwards Law, PLLC have worked with a variety of clients facing many different types of charges. Their unique experience with the Waynesville courts can be advantageous for your case. The attorneys at Edwards Law, PLLC, are committed to learning the full details about your situation and devising a solid strategy to help defend your case.

Can I Be Exempt From Compulsory Sentencing?

Certain drug crimes like drug trafficking also come with mandatory sentencing requirements. In some cases, however, these requirements can be avoided due to the new First Step Act that was signed in 2020. You must meet the following criteria to qualify:

• Type of Charge: In order to qualify, you must have trafficking charges related to possession. Other trafficking charges connected to things like manufacturing, transporting, or delivering do not qualify.
• Clean Record: You must not have any other felony drug convictions or be convicted of any other drug possession charges with an intent to sell or deliver drugs.
• Amount of Drug: You must have possessed an amount of the drug that puts your charges in the lowest category for trafficking sentencing.
• Violence: In any area of the case, you cannot have used violence, firearms, or other weapons to achieve drug trafficking.
• No Sale: You must strictly have drug trafficking possession charges. Any evidence of manufacturing, delivering, or transporting drugs, even if you are not charged with it, makes you ineligible for this act’s benefits.
• Admitting Fault: In order to qualify for the First Step Act, you must accept responsibility for the actions you committed. Make sure you are on the same page with your attorney before you do this.
• Court Opinion: It must be decided by a court that giving you the minimum sentencing for your drug trafficking charge is unnecessary, unjust, and does not benefit the public.
• Substance Abuse: To avoid future occurrences of drug crimes, you must admit that you have issues with substance abuse and take a treatment program approved by the court to address it.
• Assistance: You must also help law enforcement to catch any other individuals associated with similar drug trafficking charges that you were working with.

The First Step Act can be helpful for first-time defendants to avoid steep prison sentences, but it also has quite a few stipulations that can be difficult to determine on your own. To figure out if your case qualifies for the First Step Act, contact a criminal defense attorney today.

Why Do I Need an Attorney?

An attorney can help you with critical aspects of your case, like gathering evidence and witnesses and creating a defense strategy to help convince the court of your innocence. It is not legally necessary to hire an attorney, but doing so can help create confidence and a more positive outcome for your drug charge.

While there are some exceptions, most drug crime charges are felony offenses. Felonies are serious and come with severe limitations, including:

• Removing your right to vote
• Revoking your permission to use firearms
• Limiting your opportunities for housing, employment, and schooling

Consequences like these mean that drug crimes should not be taken lightly. To learn more about how you might be able to reduce a felony drug charge, contact a Waynesville criminal defense attorney today. At Edwards Law, PLLC, we strive to offer professional support in a compassionate manner to make our clients feel confident about their cases.

FAQs

Q: Can You Get Probation for Drug Trafficking in NC?

A: There are often minimum sentencing requirements for drug trafficking depending on how much of the drug was found and how dangerous the drug is considered based on Waynesville law. In most cases, drug trafficking charges result in a mandatory 25-225 months of prison. There are some exceptions to this in which probation is possible, but it is helpful to contact a qualified criminal defense attorney to understand if probation can apply to your situation.

Q: What Is the Law on Drug Possession in NC?

A: Drug possession charges in Waynesville are often lighter than other forms of drug charges like drug trafficking or drug manufacturing. However, exact charges can vary based on how dangerous the drug is and how much of the drug was possessed. Most drug possession charges involve at least some kind of jail sentence and fines. To learn more about charges, talk about your case with a drug crimes attorney.

Q: What Are the Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Drugs?

A: The mandatory minimum sentences for drugs depend on the type of charge, the type of drug, and how much of it was found. A charge like drug possession will often have a lighter minimum sentence than a charge like drug trafficking or manufacturing. In addition, Schedule I drugs like heroin, opiates, and ecstasy carry higher sentences than Schedule V and VI drugs like marijuana and cough syrup with drugs like codeine.

Q: What Is a Simple Possession Charge in NC?

A: A simple possession charge in Waynesville usually applies to a minor marijuana charge. North Carolina, just like other states, has attempted to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana. Simple marijuana possessions are usually misdemeanors and often do not result in any jail sentence, but they still have consequences that can adversely affect you. For advice on simple possession charges, contact a criminal defense attorney.

Don’t Let a Criminal Charge Rule Your Life

Even if you are only facing a misdemeanor charge, it can sometimes come with jail time, fines, and other consequences. These effects only get worse with a felony. It is important to take these charges seriously by contacting a criminal defense attorney. Schedule a consultation with Edwards Law, PLLC, for more information on your case and what your next steps might look like.