Long Island is the most densely populated island in the entire country. It’s home to millions, and while most of us won’t find ourselves on the wrong side of the law, there are plenty who will. Drug charges are among the most serious offenses that Long Island residents can face, and if you’ve made the mistake of being charged with any type of drug related offense, you’ll want to spend some time making sure that you do all you can to help yourself. A big part of that is simply understanding all that you can about the offense, so here are a few things you should remember.
- The type of penalties you will face depend entirely upon your specific case. For instance, simple possession is often a fairly minor crime, while possession with intent to distribute or drug trafficking charges are far more serious. The amount of the drug that you possess will have a lot to do with this. Additionally, the type of drug in question will play a role in your possible sentence, as will things like prior convictions. In short, the exact sentence you could face will vary greatly depending on a wide range of different things.
- New York drug laws are some of the harshest in the entire nation. Penalties are stiff, but so is the actual act of being charged. For instance, even if you don’t possess drugs or even know that they’re in a room or vehicle with you, just being in the same place as someone with drugs on their body could lead to a charge of possession. Most people don’t realize this, but it is true.
- Potential penalties for drug related offenses range from small fines and short sentences to more than 20 years in prison. At any rate, your conviction will remain on your criminal history for years. No matter how minor a charge may seem, you could face heavy repercussions as a result, so it’s important not to take anything lightly.
- Don’t make the mistake of just listening to friends or family for legal advice – or of just doing a quick online search about laws and deciding that you know what steps are best for you. There are far more complexities regarding New York drug laws than you realize, and turning to the professionals is always a better idea.
In short, you need help when you’re facing drug charges. Turn to a good criminal defense attorney if you want to ensure that your case reaches the best possible outcome for you. There are no guarantees, but a good attorney can certainly help.