NJ Heroin Possession Defense Lawyers Will Fight For You
Due to more and more heroin being brought into New Jersey, the state is paying closer attention in an effort to restrict the supply. Heroin possession and distribution are both serious offenses with significant punishments.
Heroin's prevalence in New Jersey makes it far more affordable for buyers to obtain, compared to other states. The grade of heroin is also higher in NJ. Because of the abundance and undiluted nature of the heroin, many young people are becoming addicted to heroin in NJ.
An alleged heroin crime can have life-long consequences and requires a tough legal strategy. Your rights should not be thrown aside just because you have been picked up for alleged heroin distribution or possession.
Arrested for a heroin drug related crime in Ship Bottom, NJ? Get advice from the heroin attorneys at Villani & DeLuca before time runs out.
Heroin Arrests According to New Jersey Law (N.J.S.A 2C:35-10)
Heroin is a Schedule 1 Controlled Dangerous Substance in NJ and possession is treated as a third degree crime. A heroin possession conviction can result in a five year prison sentence and a fine of up to $35,000.
The usage of heroin has escalated swiftly in New Jersey within a very small time frame. A study from the Task Force on Heroin and Other Opiate Use by New Jersey Youths and Young Adults called heroin “the number one health care crisis” in New Jersey. Your NJ drug lawyer needs to have past experience defending clients from heroin charges.
NJ Heroin Possession Attorneys with Extensive Experience
The heroin defense lawyers at Villani & DeLuca have extensive experience battling heroin charges. A lawyer like Partner Carmine Villani, Esq. can leverage previous experiences assisting individuals confronted with drug crimes like heroin distribution to craft the best defense possible.
Protect Yourself from These Serious Heroin Charges
Give yourself the best chance at success when dealing with a heroin conviction. Heroin charges on your criminal record can also inhibit your business prospects in the years to come. Your future prospects in general can be much brighter if you can avoid a conviction.
Your verdict has a lot to do with the events of your arrest. Whether you are charged with possession or distribution is partially based on the quantity of heroin on or around you when you are caught. Things like school zones also strongly factor into the severity of your charges.
Simple Heroin Possession in NJ
If you have been picked up for heroin possession, prison is not inevitable. Your drug defense lawyer can argue for conditional discharge or a Pretrial Intervention (PTI), for first-time offenders. A criminal defense lawyer can examine if charges were based on an abuse of your rights.
The quantity of heroin found in your possession does not cause an arrest to result in intent to distribute charges. If you are convicted of possession with the intent to sell, you can face 5 years imprisonment with a max fine of $75,000 and a withdrawn driver's license.
Heroin Distribution and Intent to Distribute Laws in New Jersey
Intending to distribute and actually distributing have no practical difference in courts in New Jersey. Third degree heroin distribution involves less than 0.5 ounces of heroin, while amounts more than five ounces count as a crime in the first degree. A jail term of between 10 and 20 years and a half million dollar fine may be the punishment for a first degree heroin conviction.
Heroin Distribution and Possession in or Near a School Zone
The stakes 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 legal boundaries of a school zone does not just include buildings. School zones extend 1,000 feet from the school building and vehicles.
Protect Your Future from a Heroin Arrest
Heroin charges can be lessened. Return to your life with help from a heroin defense lawyer dedicated to protecting your rights. Your charges could be dropped or diminished with a strategic defense.
Did law enforcement overlook police procedure when arresting you? If your rights were offended, you may have reasons for dismissal. The heroin lawyer you decide on will pinpoint any unlawful procedures that resulted in your arrest.
Conditional discharge is a helpful solution for many first-time offenders of heroin possession. You will be placed on probation and your criminal record will remain unrevised.
If you are a first-time offender, jail time is unlikely if your attorney and the prosecution agree to a Pretrial Intervention (PTI). PTI places heroin users in a rehabilitation center rather than prison.
Villani & DeLuca Heroin Possession Lawyers are Ready For Your Call
Talk with the legal professionals at Villani & DeLuca in a free consultation in order to discuss your heroin charges. We will speak to you any time of day and any day of the year. Start preparing your defense in Ship Bottom with a phone call to (732) 709-7757.