Are you facing a felony drug charge in the Rhode Island? We can help. Our experienced Rhode Island Drug Crimes lawyers have years of experience defending individuals charged with drug offenses throughout R.I. including: simple possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance, and manufacturing or cultivating a controlled substance. Contact us today for a no obligation drug crime defense strategy session to learn how our experienced R.I. drug defense strategies and tactics can be put to work for you to defend you against drug-related charges in the State of Rhode Island.
Rhode Island Drug Lawyers
Marin, Barrett, and Murphy Law Firm
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Each individual state, as well as the federal government, have laws against the use, possession, manufacture, and distribution of illegal substances. Strict laws have been put in place to reduce the ever-increasing amount of drug-related crimes throughout the country. No matter where you are located, you can be arrested for the possession, manufacture, or selling of any kind of illegal substance. The state of Rhode Island takes these crimes very seriously and the punishments you face if arrested for any of these acts will be severe.
If you are in need of a Rhode Island drug lawyer anywhere in the state of Rhode Island, contact our offices today for your free, confidential consultation.
In Rhode Island, it is illegal to possess controlled substances including marijuana, cocaine, heroin, some prescription medications, and many others. If you are found to be in possession of any kind of illegal controlled substance, whether you have used said substance or not, you will be punished according to state law. It's imperative that you seek experienced legal representation from a Rhode Island drug lawyer immediately after being arrested to help with your case. The sooner you seek legal representation, the better the outcome you are likely to have in your case. It is possible to have your R.I. drug charges and R.I. drug penalties reduced, so do not give in to the charges you are facing.
Types of Rhode Island Drug Charges
As stated by the Rhode Island Uniform Controlled Substances Act:
“§ 21-28-4.01 Prohibited acts A – Penalties. – (a)(1) Except as authorized by this chapter, it shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance.
(b)(1) Except as authorized by this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to create, deliver, or possess with intent to deliver, a counterfeit substance.
(c)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly or intentionally to possess a controlled substance, unless the substance was obtained directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his or her professional practice, or except as otherwise authorized by this chapter.
(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to manufacture or distribute, an imitation controlled substance. Any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a crime and upon conviction shall be subject to the same term of imprisonment and/or fine as provided by this chapter for the manufacture or distribution of the controlled substance that the particular imitation controlled substance forming the basis of the prosecution was designed to resemble and/or represented to be; but in no case shall the imprisonment be for more than five (5) years nor the fine for more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000).”
If you commit any of these Rhode Island drug crimes, you will be facing serious consequences including the possibility of being a convicted drug felon, which is why you'll want to have legal representation to help reduce any drug crime penalties you may face. The punishment you receive will largely depend on the quantity of the drug you have in your possession, the classification under the schedules, and the reason for its possession.
COMMON FELONY DRUG CHARGES IN RHODE ISLAND
The types of R.I drug crimes you can be arrested for include simple possession of a controlled substance, the possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance (sometimes referred to as possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance), distribution of a controlled substance (sometimes referred to as delivery of a controlled substance) and drug manufacturing or cultivation. The punishment for the manufacturing or selling illegal substances is the most severe.
SIMPLE POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN RHODE ISLAND
In Rhode Island, simple possession of a controlled substance is the most frequently charged of the drug-related crimes. If you are found to be in possession of any kind of illegal controlled substance, you can be arrested even if there are no traces of the drug in your system. You don't have to be actively using the drug in order to be charged with a drug-related offense. Having any amount of an illegal controlled substance in Rhode Island your possession is considered illegal. The level of punishment you face will depend on how much of the drug is found to be in your possession by law enforcement.
POSSESSION WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN R.I.
If you are found to be in the possession of drugs, but you are deemed to have the intent to distribute said drug, your punishment will be even more severe. Law enforcement can determine whether or not you had the intent to distribute based on the amount of the drug that was within your possession. They do not need evidence that you have previously distributed the drug in order to charge you with this offense. The distribution of drugs is taken very seriously in the state of Rhode Island and you will face hefty penalties for committing such a crime.
Penalties for Rhode Island Drug Charges
As mentioned above, the penalties you face for committing a drug crime in the state of Rhode Island will depend on a few varying factors. You can consult with our experienced Rhode Island Drug Lawyers to get a better idea of the outcome you can expect for your unique case.
One of the most obvious and common penalties for drug crimes in the state of Rhode Island is the potential for jail time. Depending on the severity of your case, you could face a lengthy jail sentence that could last a few years and possibly life in prison. You will likely be required to pay fines upwards of thousands of dollars and even as much as $500,000, which can be challenging financially. You may also be required to complete a drug program. In some circumstances, you might have to forfeit your property, especially if you were using your home to manufacture and distribute drugs.
The punishment increases if minors are involved in the case in any way. If minors are used to distribute drugs or if drugs are sold to minors, you will be facing penalties that are even more devastating. The penalties also increase if drugs are distributed on a school property.
Rhode Island Drug Attorney: What Can We Do for You?
We have years of experience fighting for clients who have been charged with drug crimes in Rhode Island. We provide a strong legal defense and will protect your rights as our client. It is important that you do not simply accept the charges you are facing. You do stand a chance at minimizing the drug charge related penalties if you seek effective legal representation from a skilled R.I. Drug Defense Lawyer. We also handle all Marijuana charges.
We are here to fight for you. If you or someone you know is facing a drug crime in the state of Rhode Island, contact our office immediately. We will review your unique case and outline a plan of attack to aggressively take on your case. We will let you know exactly what you can expect and it is always our goal to achieve the best outcome possible.