What are Florida’s Drug Crime Penalties?
State and federal laws call for aggressive prosecution of drug trafficking, drug possession, and other drug-related offenses. As such, criminal penalties related to drug charges have become increasingly severe, and there are many offenses that trigger minimum mandatory sentencing schemes.
A state conviction for narcotics possession and other related offenses will result in a suspension of your driver’s license for a period of 2 years. Further, the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 allows the seizure or forfeiture of your assets following drug offenses.
Additionally, a conviction on your record for narcotics could have other consequences, such as:
Be aware that in many instances, it only takes a minimal amount of narcotics to elevate a criminal score sheet to the point that you are facing prison time, even for a first offense. For example, the threshold amounts of prescription pills that trigger minimum mandatory sentences are particularly low in Florida, mainly due to Florida’s getting tough on the prescription pill epidemic.
This strict approach has resulted in thousands of Floridians being incarcerated for substance abuse-related conduct without regard to the necessity of drug treatment and the wastefulness of state resources spent imprisoning nonviolent drug offenders.
Drug crimes defense lawyer Nellie L. King thoroughly reviews the unique circumstances of each client’s case to determine the best, personalized strategy to combat Florida’s draconian drug-sentencing laws.
Among the issues Attorney King routinely challenges and investigates are:
West Palm Beach, Florida has a reputation for being one of the harshest states in terms of marijuana and other drug possession laws. In fact, Florida state sentencing laws can even be more stringent than those imposed by the federal government.
This means that even if you are caught with only a small amount of narcotics, you should not simply shrug off the charge. A drug arrest and conviction will remain on your record and can result in prison time, even for minor offenses; even if you are carrying only 20 grams of marijuana or less, you could still be facing severe consequences that could follow you for a lifetime.
In any criminal case, especially one that relates to drug crimes, it is imperative that the accused hire a Drug Crime Lawyer as soon as possible. Even if you have already been interviewed by law enforcement, a good defense attorney can make the difference between years of jail time or none at all. West Palm Beach drug crimes defense lawyer Nellie L. King possesses considerable experience representing defendants on all types of drug charges.
If you have been arrested or are under investigation for state or federal drug charges, you should seek legal counsel immediately. An experienced drug crimes attorney can help you build a strong defense to clear your name or reduce penalties, depending on the scope of your case.
West Palm Beach drug crimes defense lawyer Nellie L. King handles all types of drug-related offenses, including possession, drug trafficking, sale and distribution, manufacturing, cultivation, conspiracy, and importation.
The firm also fights charges involving all types of controlled substances, such as prescription drugs, club drugs, marijuana, crack, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, meth/methamphetamines, hallucinogens, and Rohypnol. Those charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and manufacturing equipment may also contact Attorney King for legal assistance.