f you were charged with an Illinois drug crime, you would face severe penalties that would worsen your life. If convicted, you can get heavy fines, years in prison, and be saddled with a lifetime criminal record that negatively affects your educational and employment opportunity. In addition, with a drug charge pending, you need a DEA lawyer representing you. Learn more about Illinois drug charges below and contact our Chicago DEA defense lawyer at Law Offices of Vadim A Glozman today.
If you are charged with the drug crimes below, you should have a Chicago criminal defense attorney fighting for your rights now. These cases could be either state or federal charges depending on the situation.
If you are arrested carrying cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, heroin, or unauthorized prescription drugs, you could face a drug possession charge. Even a ‘minor’ drug possession charge can lead to a criminal sentence and permanent criminal record, so hire an attorney.
This crime involves selling, trafficking, and delivering illegal drugs. If the police arrest you with drugs on you, it is possible to be charged with drug trafficking and distribution if the police think you were going to sell them.
Drug distribution means selling, delivering, and exchanging illegal drugs, and you can be convicted if you tried to transfer the items to someone. In addition, the state prosecutor may prove distribution if they caught you in the act and the police saw the drugs change hands. Drug trafficking means importing illegal drugs into Illinois by car, foot, plane, shipment, and more.
Drug manufacturing of illegal drugs is against the law in Illinois, and you may be so charged if you are caught manufacturing narcotics. Or, you are found running a drug or meth lab in your business or home. It also is a drug manufacturing charge if the police discover cultivating plants and chemicals in your possession that are used to make narcotics. Many chemicals are used to make drugs that can be found in the home, so the police must show both intent and possession.
It is against the law in Illinois to possess drug paraphernalia, even in the absence of illegal drugs, including water bongs, pipes, and everyday items that may be used to sell drugs, such as large numbers of small plastic bags, syringes, and scales.
Some of the above drug crimes may be charged at the federal level. For example, it is common for the government to bring federal charges for drug trafficking and manufacturing cases, as opposed to simple drug possession, A federal charge also may be brought for defendants with a lengthy criminal history. Federal charges are also more common when the defendants have an extensive network of criminals and co-conspirators.
The most frequent way to be charged under federal drug laws is if a federal agent from the DEA or other federal department arrests. Chicago law enforcement also may partner with federal agents in drug stings. Or, you could be arrested for a drug charge on federal land, such as at the Kluczynski Federal Building in Chicago. If any part of the federal system or law enforcement is involved in the case federal charges are common, and you need a DEA defense lawyer.
The federal Controlled Substances Act puts illegal drugs into five schedules according to their addictiveness and likelihood of being abused. Drugs in Schedule 1 have the most severe penalties:
State drug charges are often less severe and have more lenient penalties than federal charges. However, many federal laws have minimum mandatory sentences, so someone convicted on a federal drug charge could spend years in the federal prison system. In addition, if you have at least two prior serious drug offenses, you also could receive harsher federal penalties for being a career offender.
Furthermore, the federal system limits your ability to appeal if you sign a plea deal, and there is no parole in the federal system today. While the laws do allow for probation, it is rare. So, federal drug charges usually result in longer prison sentences than Illinois charges.
Another complicating factor with federal drug charges is being open to other federal charges, such as money laundering, tax evasion, and RICO violations. All of these additional charges can result in even more federal prison time.
Illinois is one state that has made some marijuana use legal for individuals. However, even with more lenient cannabis laws, possessing or consuming marijuana can still lead to jail time and suspension of your driver’s license in some circumstances.
The current law in Illinois says that adults 21 and older can possess up to 30 grams of buds or cannabis flower, up to five grams of cannabis concentrate, and up to 500 milligrams of THC in an edible. However, possessing more than these amounts can lead to criminal charges.
For example, if you are caught with more than 100 grams of cannabis, it may be charged as a felony. It is also illegal to consume or smoke the plant in government buildings, public transportation, or schools. You also can only buy the drug in licensed marijuana dispensaries. Finally, purchasing marijuana on the street is illegal.
You also should be wary of driving after using cannabis in Illinois. You can be arrested in the state if you drive and your THC concentration is 5 nanograms or more per ml of blood or if it is 10 nanograms or more per ml of saliva urine.
Are you facing federal drug charges? Then you need to take this matter extremely seriously with the help of a criminal defense attorney. Contact our Chicago DEA defense lawyer at Law Offices of Vadim A. Glozman today by calling (312) 726-9015.