Dealing with a charge for a drug-related crime can impact your life in a variety of ways. Not only will you face a number of penalties if convicted in criminal court, but it could affect your ability to get a job or go to school both now and in the future — so the consequences are long-term in nature. Drug possession is one crime in particular that the state of Wisconsin does not treat lightly.
When it comes to drug possession, the type of drug, what you plan to do with the drug and the amount that you have on your person, in your vehicle, in your home or in your general vicinity is really going to matter when fighting your case. The charges against you will either be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on these three factors.
Potential charges
There are two main types of possession charges. These are simple and intent to distribute. If charged with simple possession, it means that a law enforcement officer found you carrying a small amount of an illegal substance that you intended to use yourself. If, however, you are faced with an intent-to-distribute charge, it means that an officer found you carrying a significant amount of an illegal substance for the purpose of selling it.
Penalties
There are many different penalties associated with possession charges. Some include jail time or imprisonment, supervised rehabilitation, fines and various others. Here again, drug type, intent and the quantity in one’s possession will be used to determine incarceration duration and fine amounts.
Available defense strategies
What defense strategies will the court often use in drug possession cases? There are actually quite a few available. With the help of your attorney, you can review all of the options open to you. A few commonly utilized include:
- Unlawful search and seizure
- Drugs are not yours
- Entrapment
- Request crime lab analysis
- Missing evidence
- Case procedural errors
The specifics of your case will certainly matter when choosing the right defense strategy.
Save your future
Do not let a drug possession charge ruin your future. You can take the steps to fight it or at least seek to minimize any consequences associated with a conviction. While doing either will prove challenging, with legal assistance you can seek the best possible outcome.
