Why You Need a Cocoa Beach Criminal Lawyer for Drug Possession Charges?
If you or someone close to you has been charged with possession of a controlled substance or another drug-related crime, it is in your best interest to seek professional help.
Penalties for drug crimes can be very severe in the Florida area, so let us help you at The Law Office of Gutin & Wolverton. Use the information below to help you decide whether or not you need a Cocoa Beach criminal lawyer today.
Use the information below to help you decide whether or not you need a Cocoa Beach criminal lawyer today. (Repeated line)
Drug Crime Facts
Possession of A Controlled Substance
If you have been charged with possession of a controlled substance, you must understand exactly what that crime means.
Possession of a controlled substance occurs if you have the ability and intention to control it. Police make arrests based on:
Actual Possession
Occurs if you are carrying it on yourself and have the ability to control it. You must have physical control over the substance.
Constructive Possession
Occurs if you have knowledge of the substance’s presence and the ability to control it. Must be found on or around your property and more than one person can be charged at this time.
Shared Possession
Occurs if it is established that you had partial control of the substance and if it was being shared with someone else.
Penalties for possession of a controlled substance depend on how the substance is classified, but you can be inflicted with different penalties as well. If you need help with possession charges, you should contact a criminal defense lawyer.
Drug Trafficking
Drug trafficking crimes are felonies that are more serious than possession of a controlled substance.
Drug trafficking punishments depend on:
Type and amount of drugs involved
The geographic area of distribution
Whether or not children were targeted.
You will be charged if police can establish that you intended to sell, or if large amounts of drugs or cash were found at the same time. This also applies to any pain killers or sleeping pills.
Sentences can range from 3 to 5 years to life in prison. Florida state laws and federal drug laws will be involved, which can result in jail time, seized assets, and a ruined reputation.
Protect yourself, and contact a Cocoa Beach criminal lawyer if you have been charged with drug trafficking.
False Positives
If you are facing drug crime charges, you must be aware of the fact that Florida police roadside drug tests can result in false positives, which means your drug arrest or conviction could be wrongful.
Thousands of people in Florida are finding themselves facing wrongful drug charges based on these roadside tests, which have a proven record of inaccuracy.
This inaccuracy results from the fact that each step of the test has to be done in the right order to prevent any deviations. An illicit drug will turn the test chemicals blue, but other substances can also turn the test falsely blue, like:
Household cleaners
Acne medicine.
If you think your drug offenses could be based on false test results, you might be pleading guilty to a crime you did not commit. Contact a Cocoa Beach criminal lawyer right away.
Need the Help of A Cocoa Beach Criminal Lawyer?
If you are in need of a Cocoa Beach criminal lawyer, contact Gutin & Wolverton immediately.
We will protect your rights at every step and fight to keep you out of jail. With over 45 years of legal experience, we can help anyone in East-Central Florida and along the Space Coast.