San Jose Cocaine Attorney
Cocaine has been recognized as one of the most dangerous and most addictive narcotic drugs. Because of that, crimes related to this stimulant drug are usually taken extremely seriously and can lead to very harsh penalties. Whether an individuals is accused of committing a crime related to “crack” (or powder cocaine) or another form of the drug, he or she is at risk of experiencing serious consequences if convicted.
In the state of California, cocaine is categorized as a Schedule II controlled substance, as listed in California’s Health and Safety Code §11055. These substances are drugs that have some limited form of legal medical use in the United States but that also have a high potential for addition and abuse (as classified by the Drug Enforcement Agency). Other examples of Schedule II drugs include morphine, oxycodone and methadone.
San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney Edward N. Ajlouny is a highly experienced legal professional who knows how to handle criminal cases that involve serious drugs, including cocaine. The San Jose drug crimes lawyer provides information about how the state of California deals with these types of crimes.
Penalties for Cocaine-Related Crimes in CA
There are many different types of activities that can be involved in a cocaine-related drug crime. A person can be arrested for being in possession of the cocaine for his or her own personal use, or for much more complex activities such as smuggling large amounts of the drug over state or county lines.
Anyone who is found guilty of possessing cocaine (since it is a Schedule II drug) can be subject to imprisonment for 16 months, or two or three years, according to §11350. A conviction for this offense can also lead to a fine of at least $1,000 or community service, upon a first offense. When an individual is convicted of a second offense, that fine amount increases to $2,000 (or community service). Community service can be selected in place of a fine if the defendant does not have the ability to pay the fine amount.
Individuals who are convicted of possessing cocaine with the intent of selling (or purchasing the drug with this intent) are subject to a sentence of imprisonment lasting between two and four years.
Penalties can be even more severe (imprisonment for three to five years) for individuals who are convicted of committing crimes with cocaine base, which falls under the Schedule I category (making it a more serious drug).
Those who are found guilty of selling, transporting, importing (into the state of California), administering, furnishing or giving away cocaine (among other specified drugs) can end up receiving between three and five years in prison. Furthermore, those who transport cocaine between contiguous counties for the purpose of selling it can end up spending either three, six or nine years in prison.
Top-Level Legal Defense by Attorney Ajlouny
Being convicted of a cocaine-related crime can have various negative impacts on your life—from forcing you to spend years in prison to ruining your reputation. It can affect career, your finances, your ability to obtain housing and more. If you have been accused of this crime, you have a lot at stake. For that reason, it is much too risky to trust just anyone to provide you with the representation you need. Attorney Ajlouny has extensive experience—he has been practicing criminal defense for the past 17 years. For that reason, he is fully prepared to represent clients in even the most challenging cases.
With the help of a strong and capable San Jose cocaine attorney, you might be able to get your charges reduced or dismissed. In some cases, it is possible to complete drug treatment in place of jail or prison time. Learn more about the various options that are available to you by contacting our office as soon as possible.
