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Alexandria Drug Lawyer

When you are facing drug charges in Northern Virginia, it’s imperative that you work with an Alexandria drug lawyer to help you move past your legal problems effectively.  Drug charges are incredibly common due to the level of recent law enforcement and media attention, and sometimes innocent individuals are mistakenly brought up on charges.

When you work with an Alexandria drug attorney from our firm, you can rest assured that you have an experienced legal advocate defending your interests and keeping you updated on any developments in your case. Call today to speak with an experienced criminal lawyer in Alexandria.

How an Alexandria Drug Lawyer Can Help

A lawyer can help you to get drug charges resolved as quickly as possible, without conviction or with as few consequences as possible. Getting the charges dropped or getting a not guilty verdict are the best outcomes, but your attorney could also negotiate a plea agreement or deferred prosecution agreement so you can avoid a criminal record.

There are many different ways to try to get a case dismissed before trial or to convince the court to find you not guilty.  Your Alexandria drug attorney will try to help you introduce reasonable doubt about whether a drug crime was committed, or can argue defenses such as entrapment. Your attorney can also get evidence suppressed if it was collected in violation of your Fourth or Fifth Amendment rights.

Your options depend upon the severity of the drug crime and weight of the evidence against you, so it is a good idea to talk to a lawyer about your specific case as you decide how to respond to the accusations.

Drug Laws in Alexandria

There are two major factors that determine the penalties associated with drug crimes: the type of controlled substance and the amount of controlled substance allegedly involved.

Defendants with significant amounts of drugs can be charged with intent to distribute, even if no drugs are being sold. Defendants with smaller amounts of controlled substances can be charged with a simple possession offense. A drug defendant could also be charged with minor crimes like possession of drug paraphernalia, or major criminal offenses like drug manufacturing or trafficking.

The category of controlled substance is determined by whether the drug has a medicinal use, as well as by how potentially addictive and dangerous it is. Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and no medicinal value, so defendants convicted of offenses with a schedule I controlled substances face the most serious penalties.  There are six different schedules in Virginia law.

Penalties for Drug Offenses

According to Virginia Code Section 18.2-250, a defendant could face 10 years imprisonment for possession of a Schedule I or Schedule II drug. Under Code Section 18.2-248, intent to sell can result in five to 40 years imprisonment.  Marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I drug, but Code Section 18.2-250.1 restricts the penalties to 30 days in jail for a first offense of simple possession.

The penalties become progressively less serious for other Schedules of narcotic substances. Possession of a Schedule VI substance, for example, is a Class 4 misdemeanor.  A defendant would face a potential fine of $250 according to Code Section 18.2-11.

For all drug convictions, you automatically lose your right to drive for six months. However, you may be eligible to apply for a restricted driver’s license with the help of an Alexandria drug attorney.

First Offender Treatment

According to Code section 18.2-251, if you are charged with a first offense of possession of narcotics, you may be eligible for a deferred disposition of your case. In that event, the court would rule that while the facts are sufficient to find you guilty, they would withhold that finding of guilt for a period of time.

During that period of time, you would be on probation and would have to complete a number of required tasks. These include a drug treatment program, community service, and a six-month loss of license to drive. If all tasks are completed as required, the charge against you could be dismissed.

Contact an Alexandria Drug Lawyer Today

An Alexandria drug lawyer can put his legal experience to work to help you try to avoid being convicted of a drug offense or to negotiate a favorable plea deal. Call today to learn more about how a lawyer will represent your interests when you’ve been accused of drug crimes.