Drug Charges in Frederick County

There are a long range of drug offenses that an individual can be charged with in Frederick County. Drug offenses can incur harsh penalties such as steep fines or jail time, and the consequences can be especially severe for defendants who already have prior convictions.

If you are facing drug charges, it could be crucial for you to engage legal counsel. A Frederick County lawyer could allow you to minimize or dismiss your drug charges by fighting for your rights in and out of court.

Types of Drug Charges

The most common drug offense in Frederick County is possession. Even a small amount of an illegal substance found in an accused individual’s possession can lead to arrest and lengthy legal proceedings.

When the defendant is found to have a larger amount of an illicit substance, but it can be proven that it is not for their own personal use (i.e by the way it is packaged), then the defendant can be charged with possession with intent to distribute. This enhances the drug charge from a misdemeanor to a felony.

Distribution is a separate offense that can be levied when a person is suspected of having given, shared or sold drugs to another. These charges are not as common as possession with intent to distribute cases, but they are in the same category and carry the same penalty. A local drug crimes defense lawyer could help an individual accused of any of these offenses to overcome their charges.

What Happens After Being Charged with a Drug Crime?

Depending on the nature of the offense, the first thing that will happen in a drug case is that the accused person will be arrested by law enforcement. Their property can be seized and there can be a search of their home or vehicle. The accused person will eventually be processed by the police and potentially released until they have to return to the court for a hearing.

Building a Defense Against Drug Charges

There are several mistakes that law enforcement or the prosecution can make during a drug crime investigation that a skilled attorney could use in their defense. For example, an illegal search and seizure, if proven, can be the basis of a compelling defense strategy. Additionally, during the initial arrest, law enforcement may put the wrong weights of the substances they found, which can affect the severity of the overall charges.

Mistakes in arrests give a defense lawyer leverage to challenge the charges and potentially dismiss them in court. They can look for any angle to undermine the prosecution’s case or prevent the state from being able to bring in evidence. They can examine the procedures used at the arrest, the seizure, the interrogation and the chemical analysis testing to build their case, which is why the defendant should enlist an attorney as soon as possible after their arrest.

Call a Frederick County Attorney to Mitigate Your Drug Charges

A drug crime conviction can have a lasting effect on a person’s personal and professional future. If you are facing drug charges in Frederick County, contact an experienced lawyer who could help you plan an effective defense and give you peace of mind throughout this process. Call today to schedule an initial consultation.