Different Types of Drug Charges / Drug Crimes

The War on Drugs made many drug crimes punishable. It is these myriad drug crimes that are the primary reason the U.S. prison population is so large. While any conviction for a drug crime can stay on your record and affect the rest of your life, some types of drug crimes and drug charges are far more serious than others.

The different drug crimes you may be charged with will largely depend upon the type of drugs in your possession and the amount of the controlled substance. However, the outcome of your drug crimes case is going to depend on whether you decide to plead guilty or whether you are able to successfully defend yourself. Knowing the different types of drug crimes and the different charges you face is important so you can make informed choices about your criminal proceedings.

At Hofland & Tomsheck, our Las Vegas drug crimes lawyers have represented clients accused of a variety of criminal acts ranging from minor possession offenses to major drug trafficking cases. We can defend you if you’re accused of a crime and we can help you better understand how the criminal justice system is likely to treat you given the nature of your alleged offense.

Drug Crime Classifications

Drug crimes can be classified in many ways. For example, you could face:

• Felony drug charges: When you have large quantities of controlled substances in your possession, law enforcement presumes you intend to sell the drugs. This is more serious than possessing narcotics for personal use and you likely will face felony charges. Felonies can carry more than a year of prison time and larger fines than misdemeanor offenses.
• Misdemeanor drug charges: For more minor drug crimes, you will be charged with only a misdemeanor and will face less than a year of jail time. Many misdemeanor drug charges result in a sentence of probation. It may even be possible to avoid a criminal record with the right lawyer, especially if you are young and have no prior convictions at the time you are charged.

Drug crimes can also be divided into different categories based on what police believe you intended to do with the narcotics. For example, some types of drug crimes include:

• Possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia: You can be charged with this crime when you have small amounts of a drug for personal use and/or when you have possessions such as a crack pipe that indicates intent to break drug laws.
• Prescription drug crimes: Both doctors and patients can be charged with violating the laws on medications that are legal but that require a prescription.
• Possession with intent to sell: Planning to sell a controlled substance, or even having sufficiently large quantities that you could sell the drug, can elevate your drug charges to the level of a felony depending upon the substances and the amount of the narcotic.
• Drug trafficking: Big-time dealers and those who move drugs across state lines could face many serious punishments including the potential for life in a federal prison.

These are just some of the drug crimes that exist under Nevada law. There are thousands of pages of regulations related to illegal drug use, and you need an experienced attorney who understands the ins and outs of your case when you are accused of any type of drug crime.

Why Are There So Many Different Drug Charges?

Depending on what kind and how much of a drug you are accused of possessing and the purpose you are accused of possessing the drug for, depends on the charges that will be filed in your case.

Among the charges that can be filed against you in Nevada are:

• Possession of Marijuana, less than 1 ounce
• Possession of a Dangerous Drug not to be Introduced into Interstate Commerce
• Possession of a Dangerous Drug without a Prescription
• Possession of a Controlled Substance
• Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell
• Manufacturing a Controlled Substance
• Sale of a Controlled Substance
• Transporting a Controlled Substance
• Trafficking in a Controlled Substance

Contact Hofland & Tomsheck today to schedule a free, confidential consultation.