Should You Hire A Drug Crime Lawyer In Spartanburg, SC?
If you have been charged with a drug crime in the Spartanburg, SC area, there are several choices that you will need to make. However, one of the first actions that you should take is to hire an experienced drug crime lawyer in Spartanburg. You will need to hire an attorney who will vigorously defend you against the charges, and can apply their years of experience working with court system in Spartanburg County along with their criminal law knowledge to help you.
A drug crime lawyer will thoroughly review each aspect of the case that the state or federal government has against you, and he/she will use that information to craft a legal strategy that will meet the needs of the circumstances surrounding your case.
It is important that you hire an attorney who has proven trial experience. An attorney that is familiar with South Carolina’s drug laws and the court system will use his/her knowledge to look for any weaknesses and flaws that may be present in the prosecutor’s case. Each detail of the case will be analyzed including any investigations that are related to:
- Issues with the search warrant
- Unlawful interrogations
- Coercive interrogations
- Illegal searches
So, how can a drug crime lawyer help you when you are facing criminal drug charges in Spartanburg?
Prescription Drug Charges
Over the past few years, there has been an increased awareness when it comes to prescription drug abuse. State and federal prosecutors are not afraid to vigorously pursue this type of drug charge. Unfortunately, anyone can make a simple mistake and find themselves charged with allegations that are related to unforeseen circumstances.
The amount of offenses involving prescription drugs are rising in South Carolina, as it is in other states. The United States is facing a real epidemic with prescription drug dependency.
Many of those who are addicted to these powerful painkillers were once prescribed these medications for legitimate medical conditions such as chronic and acute pain, as well as for pain relief after surgery. It is not uncommon for those who are taking legitimate prescription medications to be accused of illegal distribution, possession, fraud and other types of drug offenses.
These are the reasons why those who have been charged with this type of drug crime need to hire an attorney whose strength is providing an aggressive legal defense for those who have been accused of misusing prescription medications.
Prescription drug charges can include a range of allegations such as:
- Doctor shopping
- Fraudulent prescriptions
- Trafficking or distribution of prescription drugs
- Possession without a prescription
Trafficking
Many people assume that when someone is charged with drug trafficking, they were transporting large amounts of controlled substances and/or they were a part of a larger criminal organization. However, in reality, while many of the drug trafficking cases in South Carolina are connected to large organizations, there are many other cases in South Carolina where a person has been charged with drug trafficking for allegedly having 10 grams of a controlled substance in their possession.
A trafficking conviction is life-altering. In fact, a first time offender can face between 3 to 10 years in prison if they are found guilty. Those with repeat offenses are often sentenced with mandatory minimums. If an individual is convicted for a third time, they can face a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison.
Simple Possession/Possession
A person who is arrested on a simple possession drug charge in South Carolina can face harsh and long-lasting consequences if they are convicted. These types of charges are not minor or simple in any way.
Individuals who have been charged with the unlawful possession of drugs such as heroin, meth, cocaine or other substances should not waste any time in seeking the services and advice of a competent, experienced and aggressive drug crime lawyer in Spartanburg. As mentioned above, it is imperative to have on your lawyer on your side so you can ensure that your rights are protected.
With these types of charges, there is often a question of whether or not the search and seizure procedure was executed legally or illegally. These are details that must be thoroughly analyzed for every possession case. A complete analysis must also be conducted to review the prosecutor’s case.
Possession With Intent
It is important for clients to understand that any allegations that are linked to the possession, distribution or trafficking of drugs can lead to severe consequences, especially if the individual is convicted. However, if law enforcement and prosecutors allege that you had drugs in your possession and you had intent to distribute, the stakes increase dramatically.
The potential to be convicted on a drug manufacturing or drug distribution charge in South Carolina is life-changing.
Many people are surprised to learn that being in possession of just 1 gram of a controlled substance is enough to be charged with drug possession with intent to distribute. Sadly, the criminal justice system automatically assumes that you were planning to sell and/or distribute the drugs that were on your person when you were arrested.
It is common for prosecutors to rely on paraphernalia, or indicia of intent, to help build their possession with intent to distribute cases against individuals. This means that they may use other items that were present during the arrest to try and prove their case. Some of the items that can be used by prosecutors to build their case are:
- Money
- Scales
- Baggies
Law enforcement may also attempt to charge individuals with this type of crime by using a CI, or confidential informant. The CI is used by law enforcement to arrest an individual during a buy/bust operation.
They use these types of operations to collect evidence in order to bring drug distribution and drug selling charges against someone. In drug manufacturing cases, law enforcement will make allegations that an individual is growing marijuana or cooking meth.
As you can see, if you are facing drug charges, you do not need to represent yourself in a court of law. You need to have an experienced drug crime lawyer in Spartanburg, SC on your side who is dedicated to keeping your interests protected, and will work diligently and aggressively to get the most favorable outcome for your specific case.
If you are interested in learning more about the specific types of criminal offenses we handle, the penalties associated with these, and what services we can provide in terms of offering you experienced criminal defense counsel in the Spartanburg area, please feel free to contact a Spartanburg criminal defense attorney at our firm at your earliest convenience.