Distribution is a serious offense in Stafford County. Generally, it is taken more serious than possession because, in possession cases, it is almost always simply an issue of personal use. In a distribution case, it is very often a financial enterprise that can cause determinantal car.
The law still treats distribution offenses seriously and seeks to punish people more harshly who would enable others or help others to be addicted to drugs than it treats people who may simply be in a grip of addiction. That is why it is important to work with a qualified drug attorney that can defend you. If you have been charged with a drug distribution offense, consult a Stafford County drug distribution lawyer.
Law enforcement in Stafford County is cracking down on the drug distribution. Drugs are a significant problem in the Stafford County community. Opiates, in particular, have become even more of a problem over the last few years.
Drugs affect people from all walks of life, can cause problems in people’s lives, and can sometimes result in death. As a political issue and also as a law enforcement issue there is a strong desire to do everything possible to deter people from engaging in that behavior, to assist people who are addicted, and in most cases incarcerate people who are profiting from it.
There are two main categories of evidence that are most important in a drug distribution case but the person in the most basic is proving that the substance that person possessed was a drug. There are very specific requirements for drugs are going to be tested, how are they would be handled that the chain of custody to ensure that the certificate of an analyst that is analyzing that drug is ultimately going to be reliable. A Stafford County drug distribution lawyer could attempt to ensure that everything is aboveboard.
The second kind of evidence that they are going to use is going to be evidence that comes in most cases from the police officers themselves. This is going to be testimony about what they observed, what statement did the accused made, and then also any items that they seized that make it appear that distribution was occurring.
The main issues that come up in drug distribution cases as relates to the constitution are Fourth Amendment rights, which guarantee that they are to be free from unreasonable searches and seizure. This means the police cannot stop a person for no reason, they cannot detain them without probable cause or at least reasonable suspicion, and they cannot search their vehicle without probable cause or consent. If these things happened illegally in the course of an investigation, it may result in the evidence that they acquire thereby being suppressed.
Similarly if statements that are made by the accused and are incriminating are made in violation of their rights, most frequently in the setting where they are under arrest and being questioned but not provided a Miranda warning then that is also a circumstance where the damaging or incriminating statements that are gained in that interview may be suppressed and so government cannot use them in trial. A Stafford County drug distribution lawyer can attempt to protect an individual’s rights and can use any violations of a person’s constitutional rights to build a defense.
Each of the elements of the crime has the potential to be highly contested at trial. It is impossible to know when in advance before looking at all evidence in the case which may be the most highly contested. In some cases there may be a problem with the testing process and whether the government can actually prove that it is an illegal drug maybe the most highly contested part of it.
In other cases particularly constructed possession cases where a drug is found inside of a bag or a concealed compartment, it may be highly contested as to whether the person knew that it was there or knew what it was, and whether the government can ultimately make out the elements of their case as a result of that.
If you have been charged with a drug distribution offense, consult a skilled Stafford County drug distribution lawyer. Your attorney could investigate aspects of your case and present your side of the story. Speak with a determined drug lawyer that could work tirelessly to build your defense.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group
