Types of Drug Charges
St. Louis Criminal Defense Lawyers – (314) 334-3807
Someone accused of a drug crime in Missouri may actually be accused of one of many different types of drug crime violations. In order to effectively challenge the charges brought by the state, you need to understand the key details of their case, specifically of the charges. The Hammer Law Firm, LLC and our St. Louis drug crime attorneys are here to provide you with the guidance, knowledge, and representation you deserve and require in such a trying time.
People rely on our legal team because:
- We have more than 30 years of total criminal law experience.
- We are led by former prosecutors with insight into the opposition’s tactics.
- We make ourselves available for emergency calls and concerns.
- Our past clients give us high praise in honest testimonials.
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Different Drug Crime Charges
Every drug crime case is different from the next due to the specific details of a case. There are many different types of charges, and each one of those charges can be filed using an escalating series of classification based on the circumstances of the individual suspect’s arrest. With our criminal defense lawyers on your side, though, you do not have to worry about the minute details of your case, for we can handle them all on your behalf.
Some of the most common drug charges are:
- Possession: If you have an illegal substance on your person or within property or space you privately control, you can be charged with possession. In Missouri, it is illegal to possess any amount of a narcotic, including marijuana.
- Possession with intent: When someone is arrested with a large quantity of an illegal substance, investigators may conclude they intended to sell or distribute the narcotic, despite not having any immediate evidence of that act occurring. This drug crime is known as possession with intent.
- Distribution: The act of selling, moving, or distributing an illegal substance, or a legal substance through illegal channels, is known as drug distribution. Even handing a small amount of a narcotic to your friend can constitute distribution if the prosecution pushes for it. The charge can be escalated to drug trafficking if the quantities in question are quite large, or if the substance crosses state or international borders.
- Manufacturing: Attempting to create or actually creating an illegal substance, or legal substance through illegal means, is drug manufacturing. A similar drug crime is cultivation, which describes the illegal growth and harvesting of a plant-based narcotic.
- Prescription drug crimes: Using a prescription drug in any way other than what your doctor has prescribed can constitute a prescription drug crime. As the nationwide opioid crisis continues to rise, so do the number of prescription drug crimes, as intentional opioid abuse is technically illegal.
Serious Drug Crimes Call for Serious Defense
State- and federal-level prosecutors are notorious in legal circles for doing everything they can to put someone accused of a drug crime behind bars. When you are accused of or charged with a drug crime of any type, you have to acknowledge the severity of the situation by responding with a powerful legal team of your own. Our St. Louis drug crimes lawyers are ready and willing to fight the good fight for you, ensuring the criminal justice system stays honest and your rights remain respected.
We are here to help. Call (314) 334-3807 as soon as you can.
