Howard County Drug Distribution Lawyer

Drug distribution is taken very seriously in Howard County. Law enforcement sees that if they cut off the supply, then there would be no more use for possession charges, so they focus on uncovering who distributors are. All that is required in proving distribution is that someone gives, donates, or conveys an interest in selling or transferring the possession of drugs to another.

Due to the severity of this offense and potential long-term consequences, it is necessary to fight these charges early on with the help of a skilled drug lawyer. A Howard County drug distribution attorney who has experience addressing these types of charges and offenses and has a relationship with the prosecutors or judges who work in the county of jurisdiction will not only be able to build a strong defense, but also provide advice on what the defendant should expect.

Distribution Charges

Distribution is going to be an entirely different charge from possession with the intent to distribute. Distribution is conveying, giving, selling. If a person sells one pill, that is still distribution. If they smoke a joint and pass it to somebody, they have committed a felony of drug distribution in Howard County. It does not matter how much it is or how little necessarily. It could be half a gram of marijuana with a bag, it is still going to be classified as felony distribution.

When a person is a distributor, they are the one supplying all the end users and they are deemed higher up on the food chain in terms of law enforcement focus. There are individuals who might have sold it once or wanted to share it, but that would not be differentiated when it comes to the charge. It does not matter how little or how much they sell, or distribute, or give away. It is going to be a felony distribution and it is prosecuted harshly, so a Howard County drug distribution lawyer is necessary.

Aggravating Factors

Marijuana is not seen with the same perspective as heroin or cocaine, or other higher scheduled drugs. If a person has a record or a criminal history, if there are multiple drugs found, if there are a lot of them, whether it is a few grams or a few ounces – the more there is, the worse it could seem, and if a person gets to a certain level, that person actually can have additional charges due to these aggravating factors. There are other offenses that would definitely aggravate a drug distribution charge, like if a firearm was involved in the process, for example.

Constitutional Issues

There may be constitutional issues that come up in drug distribution cases in Howard County. For example, an issue could be that the search by the officers who found the narcotics was unlawful. Very frequently, unlike possession cases which are almost incidental at times, a cop pulls somebody over for driving too fast, they may smell marijuana and may find drugs in the car. When dealing with distribution, sometimes there are sting operations, undercover buys, or other methods at play but a drug distribution attorney in Howard County can help build a strong defense in the face of these tactics.

It is important for a drug distribution lawyer in Howard County to investigate these issues, such as if law enforcement had what they needed to get a proper search warrant. There are all challenges that a person could face for the warrant, the search, the scope of the warrant, or the scope of the search. This also includes statements that they have made and people could suppress those if being used against an individual.

Contested Elements at Trial

One of the bigger issues that causes the question of constitutionality of the stop or the search or whatever it may be – in addition to the occasional controlled purchases and the undercover operatives at work – there are individuals or users that are caught and must agree to help the police of prosecuting the suppliers in exchange for consideration or dismissal of their own charge. What happens in that scenario is they become suspect witnesses. This does not mean they are a suspect in a crime but compromised or untrustworthy because they have every motivation to lie and fabricate in order to help themselves, as opposed to the average citizen who has no self-interest or self-motivation doing so. A Howard County drug distribution lawyer could challenge the witnesses, challenge their motivation, and if they are credible or not.