Cases involving drug charges are serious matters in Macon. While some states have decriminalized or legalized the possession of certain controlled substances, this is not the case in Georgia. Because of this, a person caught with even a small amount of an illegal drug can still face serious legal consequences.
Our team at J. Ryan Brown Law is ready to help with cases like these. A seasoned defense attorney can work to show that the substances involved in the case were not illegal drugs or argue that the police work that led to an arrest violated your constitutional rights. To learn more about what a Macon drug lawyer can do for you, give us a call today.
The distribution of illegal drugs is always a felony in Georgia, regardless of whether someone sold these controlled substances for profit or gave them away for free. In fact, a prosecutor at trial may even ask a jury to infer a defendant’s intent to distribute these substances based on nothing more than circumstantial evidence, such as the amount of the drug in question or the supposed presence of packaging materials.
Under the Official Code of Georgia Annotated § 16-13-30, the distribution of Schedule I or II substances is a felony that brings a mandatory minimum prison sentence of five years after a first conviction. (This sentence can be served on probation.) Repeat offenders run the risk of being issued a life sentence by the court.
If you are facing allegations of drug distribution, a Macon drug attorney can help. They can explain the state’s drug laws, evaluate the strength of the prosecutor’s case, and work tirelessly to exclude any evidence that was the product of illegal police searches or entrapment techniques.
While many drug-related allegations in Macon involve distribution, simply possessing these illegal items can be a felony on its own. A conviction this severe can strip you of your rights, such as owning a gun or voting.
Having any illegal drug in one’s possession is against the law. However, the exact penalties depend on both the type of drug and the amount of that substance in question. For example, possessing even a trace amount of a Scheduled drug, such as cocaine or heroin, is a felony that comes with a mandatory minimum one-year prison sentence. By contrast, O.C.G.A. § 16-13-30(j) states that the possession of less than one ounce of marijuana is a misdemeanor that allows a judge to sentence a person to no more than one year in jail.
Even with these lesser penalties, it is still crucial to fight back against drug possession allegations. A Macon drug attorney is ready to evaluate your case and discuss your defense options.
The law in Georgia prohibits the possession or distribution of illegal drugs. However, just because a police officer has made an arrest on drug charges does not mean the case will end in a conviction. A knowledgeable attorney could be able to exclude certain evidence or provide reasonable doubt to the jury about the prosecutor’s case.
A Macon drug lawyer can help you make these arguments in court, evaluating the police work that led to an arrest and cross-examining witnesses at trial to call their recollections and observations into doubt. Reach out today to schedule your free initial consultation.
J. Ryan Brown Law, LLC
J. Ryan Brown Law, LLC
