False accusations of drug possession can be devastating for your personal and professional life. If you let these accusations go unchallenged, you may have to contend with significant fines and jail time. It may become harder for you to keep your job or secure work in the future, too.
Fortunately, you have the right to recourse after facing undue drug possession charges. Naples’ drug possession attorneys can help you establish a defense to bring forward before a judge. Together, we can fight to reduce or overturn the drug possession charges brought against you.
Responding to Accusations of Drug Possession in Naples
Florida police officers are permitted to charge a person with drug possession when armed with reasonable suspicion. More specifically, police officers can arrest individuals they suspect of possessing up to 28 grams of cocaine, 4 grams of heroin, and/or 14 grams of methamphetamines.
If you are accused of possessing any of these substances or any others considered illegal in the state, call an attorney immediately. Criminal defense attorneys can stand with you and prevent police officers from eliciting a confession out of you under inappropriate or false pretenses. It is in your best interest to avoid speaking to law enforcement until a representative arrives.
That said, cooperate with law enforcement to the best of your ability if you’re facing arrest in Naples. Law enforcement can try and add additional charges to your record. The last thing you want to contend with on top of drug possession charges are charges for resisting arrest and/or assaulting an officer.
Consequences for Drug Possession in Florida
The consequences for drug possession in Florida vary. Specifically, Florida law enforcement representatives will weigh the charges leveled against you on the Schedule of Controlled Substances. More specifically, this schedule dictates on what scale your possible consequences will be assigned.
Possession of any form of an illegal substance can, however, see you face jail time, prison time, and/or fines. You can expect the severity of these consequences to increase depending on the nature of the substance you allegedly possessed at the time of your arrest.
An Existing Criminal History Can Impact the Consequences of a Florida Drug Possession Charge
If you have a pre-existing record of criminal history, rest easy knowing that the prosecution cannot bring previous charges up when accusing you of drug possession. However, if you’ve been accused and brought up on charges of drug possession before, the consequences you face for an additional charge can compound themselves.
Specifically, the possession of specific substances partnered with a pre-existing criminal history can see you face anything from a first-degree misdemeanor to a first-degree felony. You can discuss the nature of the charges you face with an attending criminal defense lawyer. You can also discuss how you might advocate for your charges to be reduced or dropped.
Challenging Drug Possession Charges
If you find yourself contending with undue drug possession charges, you have the right to bring your concerns forward to a criminal defense attorney. Reaching out to a criminal defense attorney does not indicate guilt in the face of criminal charges. Instead, contacting a lawyer allows you to prevent other parties from misinterpreting your words and/or intentions.
Our Team Represents Your Best Interests
There are parties involved in your drug possession charges who will want to see you punished for your perceived behavior. These parties can use a variety of legal means to misconstrue your intentions and/or worsen the charges brought against you. While you can contend with these parties on your own, it’s often legally safer to do so with an attorney on your side.
The Law Office of Robert H. Hanaford knows what techniques the prosecution might use to get you to go against your own argument. We can intervene before these techniques upend your case. What’s more, we can point out a prosecution’s attempt to trip you up, making it easier for you to get ahead of any attempts to misrepresent your case in the future.
Common Arguments Used to Challenge Possession Charges
When it comes time to challenge drug possession charges, you need to know what argument against those accusations you want to base your case on. Some of the most common arguments brought against drug possession charges can include:
- Police officers misunderstood your relationship with allegedly illegal substances
- Police officers inappropriately placed illegal substances in your possession
- Another party inappropriately placed illegal substances within your possession
- The items you allegedly had in your possession weren’t actually illegal
- Illegal search and seizure
You can work out how you want to present your case with a drug possession attorney in Naples. Our team can set meetings with you to ensure that you present your case as accurately and consistently as possible.
Call Us to Combat Wrongful Accusations of Drug Possession in Naples
Police officers and other members of law enforcement may be quick to use drug charges to punish those parties they disapprove of. Other times, these parties may inappropriately assign criminal intent to a person’s behavior. In either situation, the accused has the right to challenge the charges brought against them. The Law Office of Robert H. Hanaford can help.
Don’t try to go up against your accusers on your own. When you collaborate with our attorney, Robert H. Hanaford, you can fight to keep your criminal record clear. He has been representing clients like you for 40 years and wants to do what he can to help. To arrange a free consultation, call us at (239) 315-9750 or fill out our contact form.
