Drug Crimes
Offenses involving controlled substances are taken extremely seriously throughout Texas, and the crimes can carry a wide range of penalties. Penalties for narcotics crimes typically depend on the type of substance involved, as well as the amount of the substance involved. Once you are arrested for a drug crime, a criminal record of your offense goes on file in the police database and becomes available to the public. Whether or not you go to jail is not the only concern now. If you are convicted of a drug crime, you could ruin your career opportunities, become ineligible to receive student loans, lose your driver’s license, even if the drug offense was a misdemeanor, and lose the ability to rent an apartment.
Texas and federal criminal statutes impose strict punishments on people convicted of the misuse of controlled substances. This means there could be state penalties in addition to federal drug penalties. These could include the possession of a substance, distribution of a substance or even trafficking narcotics.
Drug offenses in Texas include:
- Manufacture or delivery of substance
- Possession of substance
- Manufacture, delivery, or possession of miscellaneous substances
- Delivery of marijuana
- Possession of marijuana
- Delivery of controlled substance or marijuana to child
- Possession or transport of certain chemicals with intent to manufacture controlled substance
- Possession or transport of anhydrous ammonia; use of or tampering with equipment
- Possession or delivery of drug paraphernalia
- Falsification of drug test results
- Diversion of controlled substance property or plant
- Unlawful transfer or receipt of chemical precursor
- Transfer of chemical laboratory apparatus for unlawful manufacture
- Manufacture or delivery of controlled substance causing death or serious bodily injury
Consequences of Drug Crime Cases:
The penalties and punishments for narcotics charges often depend on a host of different factors, such as the type of controlled substance involved and the amount of the drug involved in the crime. A person can be charged with a misdemeanor or felony drug crime. The most severe penalty would be a life felony, which is punishable by between five to 99 years or life in prison, up to a $250,000 fine or both followed by:
- First-Degree Felony: Sentencing between five (5) and 99 years or life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 or both.
- Second-Degree Felony: Sentencing between two (2) and 20 years behind bars, up to a $10,000 fine or both.
- Third-Degree Felony: Sentencing between two (2) and 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 or both.
- Class A misdemeanor: Sentencing to up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $4,000 or both.
- Class B misdemeanor: Punishable by up to 180 days behind bars, fines up to $2,000 or both.
If you are involved in a Drug Crime then contact The Law Offices of Jerry Acosta to schedule a consultation to review your case. Each case is different and many different factors play a vital role. Please click here to send us a message or call us at (713) 869-4000.