CALIFORNIA CRIMINAL LAWYERS

Los Angeles Methamphetamine (Sale or Transportation)

Defending a Methamphetamine Charge in Los Angeles: Why Hiring a Private Attorney is Essential

Violating California’s Health and Safety Code by selling or transporting methamphetamine is a severe offense. Section 11379 of the code specifically targets methamphetamine and similar drugs. If charged with intent to sell or transport methamphetamine in Los Angeles, it is vital to hire a private attorney immediately.

Wrongful Sale or Transfer Charges

Police often prefer to file the harshest charges for drug-related arrests. Even if a person has a small amount of methamphetamine for personal use, the police may charge them with the intent to sell or distribute the drug. For a simple possession charge, a person must possess a pipe, straw, or needle with the drugs. Unfortunately, some police officers may not be honest and throw these items away to make the situation appear more severe.

There have been incidents of wrongful charges involving a person unknowingly carrying drugs. For instance, one may ask a friend to hold his/her purse or a package without knowing that it is full of methamphetamine. If law enforcement officials seize the package and find no evidence, such as a driver’s license, linking it with the rightful owner, the person holding it may be charged instead.

Reducing Methamphetamine Charges in Los Angeles

When the charges are unfounded, or the person charged was not aware of carrying methamphetamine, there may be defenses for dismissing or reducing the charges. A knowledgeable attorney who knows California’s drug laws can help. Even lawyers can usually negotiate a good deal for a reduction to a simple possession charge when the evidence and charges are weak. This is associated with milder penalties.

Drug availability in Los Angeles had created a severe problem over the past decades, leading to a congested court system and overcrowded prisons. Proposition 36 changed the state law, allowing those charged with drug possession to get probation and drug rehab instead of prison.

A simple possession charge is a misdemeanor offense. If the crime incident involved anyone getting harmed, the charge is typically increased to a felony. On the other hand, a charge of selling or transporting methamphetamine is a felony and results in a prison sentence of a few years or more. The prison sentence is longer if the methamphetamine is transported through more than two counties.

How a Private Attorney can Help

Compared to the money lost because of incarceration and future employment difficulties, paying a private attorney is an excellent long-term investment. Hiring a private attorney is essential for protecting individual freedom. Unfortunately, free public defenders usually make deals that involve pleading to a felony charge, which ruins a person’s future. Felony convictions make renting a property or finding a good job challenging, and spending time in prison is a financial and emotional drain.

A private attorney can dedicate time to analyze the details of the arrest in a methamphetamine case carefully. In many instances, the methamphetamine in question was unlawfully seized during a search, and the prosecutor has to prove the intent to distribute. A good private attorney fights hard to have the case dismissed or have the charges reduced to simple possession. This leaves the defendant with a misdemeanor charge that can easily be expunged and keeps the person out of jail.

Conclusion

Methamphetamine charges in Los Angeles are severe, and they require a competent attorney, who can ensure that an individual’s rights are not violated. Hiring a private attorney is the strategy for fighting against unwarranted charges. Additionally, a private attorney can devote more time and resources in challenging the charges against their clients.