A drug crime conviction can have lifelong consequences, including imprisonment, fines, and the loss of your professional reputation. However, being arrested and charged does not mean you are guilty or will be convicted. You have the right to fight the charges against you and keep your good name. Our Upper Moreland drug crimes lawyer can help.
McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. is a criminal defense firm that believes in standing up for our clients. Our firm’s founder, David McKenzie III, has served as a prosecutor for the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecuting drug crimes has given him insight into how to defend our clients against such charges. Our top priority is to have the charges against you dropped, dismissed, or reduced.
How Can Our Moreland Drug Crimes Lawyer Help You?
No matter how serious the circumstances are, you deserve legal representation that advocates for your best interests and challenges the allegations you face. The attorney you choose will play a critical role in your trial’s outcome. Our team will use the full benefit of our experience and resources to seek a positive outcome for you.
We will fight for you every step of the way. That includes:
- Advocating for no bail or a bail reduction: Many prosecutors use a high bail amount and your fear of being in jail as leverage to force you into a plea bargain. Our drug crimes attorney will work diligently for your pretrial release. This will allow you to live your life and help us better prepare you for trial.
- Take a critical look at the evidence against you: Our team will look at every aspect of your arrest and the charges against you. If we discover factual or procedural issues with the prosecution’s case, it could lead to the charges against you being dropped or significantly reduced.
- Gather evidence on your behalf: We don’t just take a critical look at the prosecution’s case against you. We will also build a case in your favor by locating witnesses, obtaining electronic records, and reviewing video footage or any other evidence that could cast doubt on the prosecution’s case.
- Exploring all possible outcomes: Depending on your situation, you may be eligible for drug court or other deferred adjudication. We may also be able to negotiate a reduction in the charges that allows you to move on with your life.
- Create a trial strategy: If negotiating for reduced or dismissed charges doesn’t work, our drug crimes attorney will prepare a trial strategy tailored to the facts in your case. We will attack any weak points in the prosecution’s case and do everything we can to create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors.
We Care about Our Clients
McKenzie Law Firm, P.C.’s clients are more than just case files to us. We understand the negative impact a drug conviction could have on your life, so that’s why we fight so hard to avoid that outcome. The attorney on our drug crimes team cares about your well-being, and we want you to know you can count on us.
Our team will patiently answer your questions and explain our thinking when it comes to all aspects of your defense. You can reach us in whatever way makes you most comfortable, whether that’s via phone, text, email, or even social media. We don’t just want to fight your case; we want to make sure you understand the process and know your drug crimes lawyer is working hard for you.
For a free legal consultation with a drug crimes lawyer serving Upper Moreland, call (610) 680-7842
What Kind of Cases does Our Upper Moreland Drug Lawyer Fight?
Our criminal defense attorney can fight any drug crime you’re charged with in Montgomery County, PA. We represent clients in the following case types:
- Possession of drugs
- Possession of drugs with intent to distribute
- Conspiracy to distribute or traffic narcotics
- Marijuana-related crimes
- Manufacture of illegal drugs or narcotics
- Cocaine possession
- Trafficking drugs (of any kind)
- Unauthorized possession or distribution of prescription drugs
This is a partial list, so if you don’t see your case type listed above, we encourage you to call us to talk more about your situation.
Upper Moreland Drug Crimes Lawyer Near Me (610) 680-7842
What Are the Penalties for Possession of Drugs?
The penalties for drug crimes can vary significantly depending on the substance, quantity, and other factors, such as your past record and whether there was an intent to sell. In general, drug crimes are broken down into two different categories. The first category is simple possession.
Any controlled substance intended for personal use is typically charged as simple possession. The penalties for simple possession could include:
- First Offense: One year in jail and a possible $5,000 fine
- Second Offense: Three years in jail and a possible fine of $25,000
The type of controlled substance can also affect the penalties you may face. For example, the penalties for marijuana possession include:
- Less than 30 grams: Maximum 30-day jail sentence and/or a fine not to exceed $500
- More than 30 grams: Maximum one-year jail sentence and/or a fine not to exceed $5,000
- Suspension of driver’s license: Punishment for possession of marijuana convictions can also include a minimum six-month suspension of your driver’s license
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What Are the Penalties for Selling or Producing Illicit Drugs in PA?
The second category of drug possession charges is known as possession with intent to distribute. You may be charged with possession of drugs with intent to deliver if you were arrested for one or more of the following offenses:
- The sale, distribution, or delivery of drugs to another party
- Growing, manufacturing, or otherwise creating any drug with the intention to distribute it.
- Possessing a large enough quantity of drugs that a prosecutor or law enforcement officer could reasonably infer that you are selling, distributing, or delivering them to another party.
- Procuring drugs through fraudulent means (e.g., using forged prescription pads and fake IDs to purchase controlled substances such as pain medication).
The severity of the penalties also increases based on the drug type, typically classified as schedules. Schedule 1 drugs include narcotics such as marijuana, heroin, and LSD, whereas Schedule 2 drugs would include cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Per Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 18 § 7508, you could face the following penalties:
- First Offense PWID 2 to 10 grams of drugs: Punishable by up to two years in prison and a fine not to exceed $5,000.
- Additional Offenses: Punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine not to exceed $10,000.
- First Offense PWID 10 to 100 grams of drugs: Punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine not to exceed $15,000.
- Additional Offenses: punishable by up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $30,000.
- First Offense PWID more than 100 grams of drugs: Punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine not to exceed $25,000.
- Additional Offenses: Punishable by up to seven years in prison and a fine not to exceed $50,000.
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Highly Rated Drug Crimes Lawyer
There is no shortage of consequences that come with being convicted of drug crimes. In addition to losing your freedom, a drug crime conviction could cost you education, employment, and even housing opportunities. Depending on the circumstances, you could even lose custody of your children for drug crime convictions.
When the stakes are that high, it matters who your lawyer is. Our lead attorney was rated as “preeminent” by his peers through Martindale Hubbell, a very highly respected legal ratings service. Mr. McKenzie earned high marks in the following critical areas:
- Legal knowledge
- Analytical capability
- Judgment
- Communication
- Legal experience
Call to Learn How Our Upper Moreland Drug Crimes Lawyer Could Represent You
If you’re arrested on a drug charge in Upper Moreland, PA, your case’s outcome could affect you for years to come. That’s why it’s so important to have a drug crime lawyer who has experience fighting these cases and is committed to a positive outcome, not just collecting a fee. If you’ve been charged with drug crimes and you’re not sure what to do, we’re here for you. We’re genuinely committed to making a difference in your case.
That starts with building trust, which is why our attorney offers free consultations to anyone facing drug crimes charges. Talk to us about your case, and we will tell you how we can help. The drug crimes lawyer at McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. are here to fight for you in the toughest times of your life. Call our office and find out what we can do for you.
Call or text (610) 680-7842 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
