Denver Drug Possession Lawyer

If you were charged with or arrested for drug possession, you could be facing years of incarceration. Depending on the circumstances of the crime and your criminal record, the penalties may vary. To avoid unfair punishment and protect your rights, you should consider working with a skilled attorney familiar with drug charges. An experienced Denver drug possession lawyer could help you build a strong defense and achieve the desired outcome in your case.

What Are the Penalties for Drug Possession?

It is important to get competent legal advice while there is still time to minimize the penalty or drop the charges. Penalties for drug possession in Colorado vary depending on several factors, including:

• The type of drug
• The amount of drugs
• Your potential criminal history

The punishment may vary from six months to eight years in prison, and accompanying fines could exceed $100,000. There could also be a drug offender surcharge.

While the immediate repercussions of a drug conviction are serious, what comes after may be even more significant—the consequences such a record could have on someone’s everyday life. After release from prison, a person may face trouble renting an apartment, taking out a loan, or getting a job. A skilled drug possession lawyer in Denver could evaluate your case, conduct an independent investigation, and build a strong defense on your behalf.

Common Defenses in Drug Possession Cases

While possession charges may appear straightforward, many nuances could change the direction of a case. Some of the common defenses a Denver lawyer could use against drug possession charges to help avoid unfair penalties include:

• Illegal search and seizure: Law enforcement officers violated a person’s Fourth Amendment rights by conducting an unlawful search without a warrant or probable cause, so the evidence obtained may be inadmissible in court
• Lack of possession: The drugs did not belong to the defendant or were found in a location they could not control
• Lack of knowledge: The defendant was unaware of the presence of the drugs
• Chain of custody errors: The prosecution cannot prove the evidence was properly handled and secured throughout its collection and storage, calling reliability into question
• Misidentification: Mistaken identity led to the charges, and there is proof that the defendant is not the right person
• Violation of Miranda rights: Law enforcement failed to inform the defendant of their rights upon arrest, so any statements they made may be excluded from evidence

The angle of your defense depends on the circumstances of the case and the experience of your criminal defense attorney. In some situations, combinations of several defenses work in the defendant’s favor.

Talk to an Experienced Denver Drug Possession Attorney Today

The first step to take after being arrested for or charged with possession is to speak to a Denver drug possession lawyer. Without legal assistance, it could be difficult to navigate the complexities of a criminal case. Since the consequences of a drug conviction could affect your entire life, you must fight for your rights.

Mike Petrash is a former prosecutor who has already defended hundreds of people facing drug possession charges in Denver. For a free case consultation, please call at any time.