Howard County Drug Conspiracy Lawyer
It is easy to imagine how getting caught with a controlled substance could lead to punishment within the criminal justice system. Many people might not realize, however, that a person could be arrested for the distribution or manufacturing of a controlled substance even if they were never anywhere near any actual drugs. This is because it is illegal to conspire to commit a crime, regardless if one ever actually commits a crime.
A conviction for the conspiracy to commit a drug-related offense could carry a sentence as severe as the drug charge itself, even if a drug offense was never actually committed. If you are charged with conspiracy related to a drug charge, contact a Howard County drug conspiracy lawyer right away. Contact a seasoned drug attorney today to schedule a case review.
Defining Conspiracy
A conspiracy involves an agreement between two or more people to commit a crime along with action taken in furtherance of the commitment of that crime. A conspiracy ends when the crime is completed, but it does not end merely because a crime has not been committed. A sentence for a person convicted of conspiracy cannot exceed the maximum sentence for the crime which that defendant conspired to commit. Conspiracy is, however, a separate crime than the one conspired to, and it is, therefore, no defense that the crime was never actually committed.
A Howard County drug conspiracy attorney could try to prove that there was no agreement to commit a drug-related crime, or that no subsequent steps were taken in furtherance of such a crime.
Drug Kingpin Statute
Section 5-613 of Maryland’s criminal law statutes define drug kingpin as an organizer, supervisor, financier, or manager who acts as a co-conspirator in a conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, dispense, transport in, or bring into the state a controlled dangerous substance. The law states that a conviction under Section 5-613 carries a minimum sentence of 20 years imprisonment without the possibility of parole. It also states that this sentence cannot be suspended.
A drug kingpin charge is the most serious drug conspiracy charge in Howard County. A drug conspiracy attorney in Howard County could fight to show that a person was not acting in the capacity of an organizer, supervisor, financier, or manager in order to fight a conviction for acting as a drug kingpin. Because it is more difficult for prosecutors to demonstrate that a person played such a supervisory role in a conspiracy, this charge is rather rare.
Contact a Howard County Drug Conspiracy Attorney Today
A drug conspiracy charge is very serious. The consequences can equal that of an actual drug charge. Prosecutors in Howard County could secure a conviction for drug conspiracy even if the alleged conspirator never saw or handled any drugs. A person could be convicted if no drug crime ultimately took place, so long as some step was taken in furtherance of an agreement to commit a drug crime.
If you are charged with the conspiracy to commit an offense related to a controlled substance, contact a Howard County drug conspiracy lawyer. An attorney could fight to prove that no agreement to commit a crime was made, or that no steps were taken to follow through on such an agreement.