Experienced Chesapeake Drug Crime Defense Attorneys

Being charged with a drug crime is very serious and can have life-altering consequences if you’re convicted. Our attorneys at Shannon & Associates, P.C. know the criminal laws and procedures that come into play in defending a charge of possession, distribution, production or trafficking of a controlled substance, including such aggravating factors as a simultaneous weapons charge. Chances are, if you’re facing a drug-related criminal charge, an officer searched you, found the controlled substance and attributed it to you. In defending drug charges, our criminal defense attorneys typically attack:

• Unlawful basis for the search conducted by the officer that revealed the controlled substance
• Whether you knowingly consented to a search
• Lack of dominion and control over the controlled substance
• Lawful possession of the controlled substance by possessing a valid prescription

Our criminal defense attorneys can help you when you need it most. Call (757) 228-5529 or contact us online today. 

Determining the type of offense you’re charged with is important so our attorneys can uncover the facts most helpful to your defense. If you are unsure of the accusation that has been made against you, our criminal defense attorneys can offer you a free initial consultation so you can learn the details and potential consequences of your charge:

• Possession: Conviction for this charge is based on knowingly or intentionally possessing a controlled substance without a valid prescription. The penalties for a first offense involving a Schedule I or II controlled substance include prison time of between five and 40 years and a fine of up to $500,000.
• Manufacture, sale and distribution: Conviction for possessing certain controlled substances in specific quantities, like 100 grams of heroin or 500 grams of cocaine with the intent to manufacture, sell, give or distribute those substances is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $1 million and imprisonment for five years to a life sentence.
• Transporting: Conviction for bringing into the Commonwealth of Virginia one ounce or more of cocaine, any Schedule I or II substance, or five ounces of marijuana with the intent to sell or distribute it is transporting. This carries a penalty for a first offense that includes a minimum of three years mandatory imprisonment and payment of a fine of up to $1 million.

The type of offense, felony crime or misdemeanor is determined by the classification of the controlled substance involved in your case. The drug classification, the quantity of the drug and how many times you were previously convicted of drug-related offenses also influence your punishment and will increase the likelihood of mandatory imprisonment and the imposition of a more costly fine if you are convicted again. Marijuana, cocaine, heroin and meth offenses carry increasing lengths of incarceration.

At Shannon & Associates, P.C., we approach every case in a straightforward manner, managing your expectations and the likelihood of certain results from the beginning. Your initial consultation in criminal cases is free, so call (757) 228-5529 or send us a message online today to schedule your confidential appointment.