There is a heroin epidemic in New Jersey. As heroin deaths and overdoses climb, NJ law enforcement is cracking down on heroin crimes, incorporating some of the harshest penalties in the country.
The current heroin epidemic in NJ is not constricted to the metropolitan area, but has expanded into suburban locations within the state. New Jersey’s import/export infrastructure has made it one of the prime sites for importation of illegal drugs like heroin in the United States.
With the increase in heroin offenses, heroin possession arrests have also spiked. Regardless of this burgeoning crisis, a charge doesn’t need to be a jail sentence. You have rights that must be defended with the help of a lawyer serving Eatontown, NJ and the surrounding area.
Were you picked up for heroin possession or distribution in Eatontown, NJ? Secure advice from the heroin attorneys at Villani & DeLuca before it’s too late.
Defined as a Schedule 1 CDS according to NJ law, possession of heroin is legally a third degree criminal offense. A heroin possession conviction can mean a 5 year imprisonment sentence and a fine of up to $35,000.
Have you developed an addiction to heroin in NJ? Heroin is a health crisis, particularly among teenagers. If you were charged with drug possession, get help from NJ drug attorneys.
Villani & DeLuca has been defending individuals arrested for drug crimes like possession and distribution of heroin since 1996. A lawyer like Partner Carmine Villani, Esq. can use previous experiences defending individuals facing drug crimes like heroin distribution to build a better defense for you.
Your future may depend heavily on the outcome of your criminal charges. The penalties for being found guilty can be as significant as 20 years in jail for a multiple offender of heroin-related crimes.
Your sentence varies on the amount of heroin found on you, but also on other aspects, such as proximity to a school zone or whether law enforcement decide that you are distributing. A qualified heroin defense lawyer may be able to secure a better outcome for you.
If you are arrested for heroin possession, imprisonment is not inevitable. Your drug attorney can push for conditional discharge or a Pretrial Intervention (PTI), if it is your first offense. There are other considerations that may cause your charges to be reduced or dropped, including arrests made through unlawful search and seizure, which an adept drug attorney will assess.
The quantity of heroin found in your possession does not cause a charge to be upgraded to intent to distribute. If you are convicted of possession with the intent to sell, you can face five years in prison with a maximum fine of $75,000 and a withdrawn driver’s license.
Possession is not generally as serious as distribution. Just 0.5 ounces of heroin can bring about a charge for the intent to sell. Intent and actual distribution are treated as the same crime according to New Jersey state law. Heroin possession with intent to distribute 0.5 ounces of heroin or less is a third degree crime, resulting in up to five years incarceration with a maximum fine of $75,000. Possession ofquantities more than five ounces with intent to distribute, including any adulterants or dilutants, is a drug crime in the 1st degree. There is a mandatory prison term of 10 to 20 years, and a fine of up to half a million dollars upon conviction.
The consequences of a drug arrest in a school zone are much higher. Although you may not believe that you are in a school zone at the time of an arrest, the definition of a school zone does not just include buildings. If you arrested for heroin distribution within 1,000 feet of a school bus, for instance, the school zone laws of NJ will be in effect.
Regardless of being arrested and charged with drug crimes in New Jersey, you have many options available to pursue with an experienced NJ drug crimes law firm. With a smart defense, your drug attorney can help achieve the best possible outcome.
If an illicit search and seizure of your personal property happened before an arrest, you may have a strong case to have charges reduced. A drug defense attorney will inform you based on what occurred prior to and during your arrest.
You might want to consider a conditional discharge defense if your lawyer feels you are eligible. Under conditional discharge, you are receive probation and may avoid a drug offense on your criminal record.
Pretrial Intervention is a wake-up call to many people struggling with addiction and can be an alternative to incarceration. It is used as rehabilitation instead of a jail term. The PTI program can be very invaluable if you are grappling with addiction.
Are you looking for a lawyer? Contact Villani & DeLuca right away to inquire about how to minimize your heroin charges in New Jersey. Contact Villani & DeLuca by calling (732) 965-3350. Our law firm will ?combat? charges you are facing in Eatontown, New Jersey today.
