Drug crimes are harshly punished in the state of Florida, carrying high fines and potentially lengthy prison sentences. For certain drug crimes, there are minimum mandatory sentences that come with the very nature of the charge. We at Pallegar Law, P.A. are experienced and aggressive Bradenton drug crimes attorneys. If you have been arrested, or believe you are the subject of a criminal investigation that my lead to your arrest, contact our office so that we can schedule a consultation to discuss the best possible option given your factual scenario. Since every case is different, we will tailor a personal defense strategy based on your situation.
After the arrest, the information is sent over to the State Attorney’s office for prosecution. As your drug defense attorney, we reach out to the State Attorney’s office to provide mitigating information about your case, and discuss inconsistencies or errors in the case or evidence against you. This can result in a dismissal of the case before formal charges are filed against you. The best thing to do is act quickly so that your Bradenton drug crime lawyer can begin building a solid defense for your case.
Types of Drug CrimesAt Pallegar Law, P.A., we handle all kinds of drug crimes, including possession of drugs or paraphernalia, sale or delivery, cultivation, and trafficking. If you are caught with a large amount of an illegal drug, the charge will be automatically upgraded to trafficking based on the amount. It does not matter if you had intent to delivery or sell the drugs. We represent individuals charged with drug crimes involving marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, synthetic drugs, and prescription drugs such as Oxycodone.
You can be arrested for possession of illegal drugs even if the drugs were not on your person at the time of arrest. There are two kinds of possession under Florida law: actual possession and constructive possession. Actual possession is when you physically have illegal drugs on your person (i.e. in your pocket, in your bag). Constructive possession is not so simple. This kind of possession requires knowledge and control of the drug. If you are in a car with some friends and are pulled over with illegal drugs in the glove compartment, you may be charged with possession even if you were in the backseat with no drugs on your person. Law enforcement can allege that since you were in the car with your friends, you must have known illegal drugs were in the car and had some kind of control over them. In these kinds of situations, it’s important to hire an aggressive Bradenton drug crime lawyer at Pallegar Law, P.A. to begin building your case. We gather all the evidence and look for errors and inconsistencies in law enforcement statements so we can fight the charges against you.
Penalties for Drug CrimesDepending on the category and type of drug crime you are charged with, the penalties range from one year in jail to more than 25 years in prison. For example, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana is a misdemeanor, punishable by one year in jail and fines of up to $1,000. Possession of more than 28 grams of cocaine is considered trafficking in cocaine, and has a minimum mandatory sentence of 3 years, with a maximum of 30 years. Possession of any amount of synthetic drugs such as fentanyl is a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of $5,000.
Call Pallegar Law, P.A. for Legal RepresentationIf you or someone you know has been arrested or charged with a drug crime, contact a experienced Bradenton drug crime lawyer at Pallegar Law, P.A. Call 941-893-5816 today for a free consultation.