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Charles P. Vaughn | Attorney at Law

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Solutions And Guidance For Your Legal Conflicts

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Experienced, Smart Drug Crimes Defense

Drug offenses can lead to serious criminal penalties as well as noncriminal ones (such as difficulty finding a job with a conviction on your record). Therefore, if you are facing charges, you can’t afford to underestimate what you’re up against.

When you hire Charles P. Vaughn, Attorney at Law, you’ll work with a criminal defense attorney who brings decades of experience to each case. Feel free to read the information below, then contact me to discuss your own charges.

What Factors Influence Drug Charges?

You might be charged with simple possession, possession with intent to distribute, or trafficking. Each charge comes with different penalties. Here is an overview of how charges are determined:

Type of drug and classification: Florida categorizes drugs into one of five “schedules,” or groups. Drugs listed as schedule 1 supposedly have a high potential for abuse and a little to no accepted medical use. As the schedules increase, abuse potential decreases and at least some accepted medical uses are acknowledged. Criminal charges will be influenced by the schedule of the drug you allegedly possessed.

Weight or quantity: Possession can be a misdemeanor or a felony depending on how much of the drug you were caught in possession of (which changes depending on the drug). If the quantities are significantly higher, you could be charged with drug trafficking, even if there is no evidence that you planned to sell them to others.

Legality of the drug: Florida law refers to drugs as “controlled dangerous substances.” This term encompasses street drugs like cocaine and heroin, but it also includes possession of certain drugs prescribed by doctors (such as opioids, ADHD medications or anxiety medications). In order for possession to be legal, you must have a valid prescription for the drugs and be carrying them in an approved container. If missing either element, you could be criminally charged with illegal possession.

It Is Possible To Contest Drug Charges

You get caught with drugs on your person or in your vehicle. Is that an open and shut case? Not necessarily. There are numerous defenses that could come into play, including:

  • Arguing that police obtained evidence illegally through violation of your Fourth Amendment rights against illegal search and seizure
  • Showing that you had a valid prescription (for pharmaceutical drugs)
  • Claiming you didn’t know that the drug was a controlled substance
  • Claiming that you were unaware of being in possession of the drug and law enforcement is unable to prove that you knowingly possessed them

Depending on the facts of your case, one or more of these arguments may be appropriate to use. The point is that you shouldn’t decide you are out of options without first speaking to an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Discuss Your Case In A Free Initial Consultation

Drug charges come with potentially severe consequences if you are convicted. Therefore, it is important to seek the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible after being charged or arrested.

Charles P. Vaughn, Attorney at Law, offers free initial consultations to prospective clients in Citrus County, so why wait? To schedule your free consultation, call my office in Inverness at 352-464-8003 or fill out my online contact form.