Drug distribution offenses are heavily sought after by law enforcement in Arlington. As a result, convicted individuals could find themselves serving lengthy jail sentences and being obligated to pay expensive fines. Considering what is at stake, a discussion with an experienced defense attorney is necessary.
By getting in touch with an Arlington drug distribution lawyer, you will get a better sense of the status of your case and what you have to prove to either lessen the severity of the offense or dismiss the case altogether. Schedule a consultation today to get started on building a defense.
Arlington has an active goal to reduce the trafficking of drugs and substance abuse issues within the civilian population. As a result, the prosecution may view drug distribution charges more seriously than simple possession charges. The distribution of drugs is seen as an explicit act of being involved in the drug trade and the prosecution would want to stop the flow of drugs within the county and from other countries. They also want to prevent the related collateral consequences and collateral crimes that comes with substance abuse and illicit drug sales.
Various constitutional issues can arise in drug distribution cases. The most common is probably Fourth Amendment constitutional issues regarding unreasonable searches and seizures. In order to obtain the necessary evidence required for a conviction, law enforcement may try to search a person’s property in hopes of finding something that would prove the offense. Some tactics used by officers involve forcing the charged individual into allowing them to perform a search either by coercion or a makeshift warrant. They may also take advantage of a traffic stop and try to cite probable cause as a reason to search a vehicle without the need for a warrant.
The Fifth Amendment is probably the second most common issue. The Fifth Amendment protects individuals from answering self-incriminating questions and other forms of unlawful interrogation. For example, the arrested individual cannot be placed into custody unless an arrest has been made. If a person was in custody and not under arrest, yet interrogated by law enforcement as to whether they committed a drug distribution offense, the defense can raise the issue of the Fifth Amendment if the charged individual gave unlawfully extracted statements as a result of an unlawful interrogation.
The most contested points of a case involve whether the defendant possessed an illegal drug, and if they did, whether they had the intent to distribute. Some of the less contested elements involve any results from a lab test identifying the make-up of the illicit drug. Though this element is difficult to argue, it is not impossible. There have been cases in the past where mistakes have been made which lead to an incorrect lab result. However, to argue this evidence, the defendant would need to retain the services of a tried and tested drug distribution attorney familiar with the court system in Arlington.
For a drug distribution case, it is important for somebody to select a defense attorney that not only handles these types of cases on a frequent basis. They should also work with someone who is familiar with all of the constitutional issues and the different types and motions that can be filed.
An Arlington drug distribution lawyer embodies these elements and could prove to be a vital ally in avoid the consequences of a conviction. To learn more about how our attorneys can be of benefit to your case, call today to schedule a consultation.