New Jersey Heroin Possession Defense Lawyers Will Work to Clear Your Charges
There is a heroin epidemic in New Jersey. The rise of heroin distribution has produced increasingly stiffer heroin regulations in New Jersey.
The current heroin problem in NJ is not limited to the urban areas, but has spread into suburban communities around the state. New Jersey's import/export infrastructure has made it one of the major importers of illicit drugs like heroin in the United States.
As governments at all levels concentrate ever more on the escalating heroin trafficking and drug ring crisis, the number of heroin-related arrests and sting operations dramatically rise. In spite of this developing predicament, a charge doesn't need to be a guilty verdict. You have rights that must be defended with the assistance of an attorney serving Ocean, New Jersey and the neighboring towns.
If you or a relative is facing heroin possession or intent to distribute in Ocean, New Jersey, contact the law firm of Villani & DeLuca for qualified heroin lawyers to assist you through the legal process and to defend your rights.
Heroin Arrests According to New Jersey Law (N.J.S.A 2C:35-10)
Treated as a Schedule 1 CDS according to NJ law, possession of heroin is by law a 3rd degree crime. A heroin possession conviction can end with up to a 5 year prison sentence and a penalty of up to $35,000.
Heroin usage has gone up swiftly in New Jersey within a very small time frame. Heroin is the “number one health care crisis” in NJ according to the Task Force on Heroin and Other Opiate Use by New Jersey Youths and Young Adults. If you are a victim of heroin addiction and have been charged with possession of heroin, you should retain a skilled NJ criminal defense attorney, capable of handling heroin charges.
NJ Drug Possession Attorneys with Extensive Experience
Villani & DeLuca has been defending clients arrested for drug crimes like possession and intent to distribute heroin since 1996. An attorney like Partner Carmine Villani, Esq. can leverage his successful track record of defending individuals confronted with drug crimes like heroin possession to build a better defense for you.
Protect Yourself from These Serious Heroin Charges
Convictions for heroin have severe penalties, both regarding jail time and potential fines and in terms of employment repercussions. The consequences for being found guilty can be as significant as twenty years in jail for a repeat offender of heroin-related violations.
Your sentence hinges on the weight of heroin in your possession, but also on other considerations, such as if you are in or near a school zone or whether authorities decide that you are have intention to distribute. An experienced criminal defense attorney may be able to secure a better sentence for you.
Simple Heroin Possession in New Jersey
If you are arrested for heroin possession, you don't necessarily need to face jail time. Your heroin defense lawyer can argue for conditional discharge or a Pretrial Intervention (PTI), for first-time offenders. 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 be able to investigate.
If you have been arrested for the intent to sell, your sentence will be more severe than possession charges. Heroin possession with the intent to distribute can lead to five years of incarceration and a fine of up to $75,000, with license suspension for a period of six months to one year, if found guilty.
Heroin Distribution and Intent to Distribute Laws in New Jersey
Heroin distribution is no different than intent to distribute in the eyes of NJ drug laws. Third degree heroin distribution involves less than 0.5 ounces of heroin, while quantities more than 5 ounces count as a crime in the first degree. A prison sentence of between 10 and 20 years and a $500,000 fine may be the consequence of a first degree heroin conviction.
Heroin Distribution and Possession in or Near a School Zone
Potential sentences are increased substantially when the wrongdoing occurs in or near a school zone, which includes school buses and extends to areas up to 1,000 feet from the building or vehicle. If you are caught in possession of heroin in a designated school zone, there is a fixed jail sentence with fines of up to $150,000 if convicted. Your lawyer should have successfully fought heroin cases on their resume so that your drug sentence is the best case scenario in the event of a conviction.
Don't Allow Heroin Charges to Destroy Your Life
Heroin charges can be mitigated given the right defense. Defend your future with a well-thought out defense plan. Charges may be dismissed or lowered with an effective defense.
Was the search and seizure of the drugs and paraphernalia according to the letter of the law? If your rights were transgressed, you may have a case against the state. The criminal defense lawyer you hire will pinpoint any improper procedures that produced your arrest.
Think carefully about a conditional discharge defense if your attorney thinks you qualify. With a conditional discharge, you are placed on probation and can avoid a drug arrest on your permanent record.
Pretrial Intervention (PTI) is another viable option for heroin addicts. PTI is a rehabilitation service that can be sentenced rather than serving a prison term. The PTI program can be very invaluable if you are grappling with addiction.
Villani & DeLuca Heroin Possession Attorneys are Available 24/7 in Ocean
Need a lawyer? Villani & DeLuca lawyers will advise you on what they think the best course of action is. Contact Villani & DeLuca by calling (732) 709-7757. Our lawyers will ?aggressively defend? charges you are facing in Ocean, NJ today.