When a person gets arrested on suspicion of federal drug charges, they had better know that some serious prison time could be awaiting. These charges could come from the manufacture, possession or sales of marijuana or any controlled substances. It is also pertinent to know that federal drug charges are not going to be as lenient as state drug charges. The one who is arrested for federal charges stands the best chance by hiring an attorney. A federal drug charges attorney in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania helps clients facing federal charges. The following is some information that may be helpful in such cases.
A person who is arrested for a simple possession of a controlled substance will face serious charges, but they won’t be as severe as other federal drug charges. How much is determined to be a small amount of the possession is defined by the statutes in the schedule levels of the particular substance. When the charges turn to trafficking and distribution, the penalties become more grave. The most serious of federal charges come when the individual is accused of manufacturing the controlled substances. How bad the penalties are in each case depends on the criminal record of the offender.
To get an idea of how federal charges are handled, penalties for trafficking up to 4,999 grams of cocaine are a minimum of five years in prison with a fine of five million dollars. This is just the first offense. For five kilograms of cocaine or more, the prison time becomes a minimum of 10 years and a fine of 10 million dollars. There are cases where the individual can get lifetime imprisonment. Considering the degree of the penalties, it is indeed wise to hire a good attorney.
The Law Office of Melissa R. Montgomery have been providing legal solutions for clients in the Lancaster County, Pennsylvania area for more than 15 years. The sooner those accused of federal drug charges get with an attorney, the better their chances will be. The attorneys also practice family law and other areas of criminal law. Anyone in need of a federal drug charges attorney in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania can visit website.