Tampa Drug Crimes Lawyer

Drug Crimes Attorney in Tampa, FL

Of all the states in the U.S., Florida is probably the last one where you’d want to be charged with a drug crime. People convicted of drug crimes in Florida serve 2.3 years in prison on the average, up from about nine months in 1990. Florida’s unenlightened drug laws lag behind much of the nation, and the Florida legislature has repeatedly failed to even legalize marijuana for medical use, bucking a growing nationwide trend. Will Hanlon is a Tampa drug crimes attorney that has grew up in Florida and understands the severity of drug charges. He has handled many drug related cases, surrounding marijuana, meth, prescription fraud, and much more and can help you build a legal case if you are facing penalties.

The charges and penalties you’ll face in Florida when accused of a drug crime will depend on the type and amount of the drug and whether you have a prior record. Only possession of a small amount of marijuana is a misdemeanor in Florida. All other drug charges are felonies, which may be punished by as much as 30 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. These are just a few of the drug charges you may potentially be facing:

• Possession of marijuana
• Cultivation and/or sale of marijuana
• Manufacturing of methamphetamine
• Possession of methamphetamine
• Trafficking in methamphetamine
• Possession of cocaine
• Trafficking in cocaine
• Possession of opiates, opioids, benzodiazapines, or amphetamines (without a prescription)
• Trafficking in prescription drugs
• Fraudulently obtaining prescription drugs

A criminal drug crime conviction will affect your future in more ways than the legal consequences you’ll face. In addition to the loss of freedom that comes with a prison sentence and money paid in fines, you will lose your rights to vote, own a gun, hold public office, and serve on a jury. You’ll also have to deal with the stigma of a criminal conviction following you throughout your life. It can negatively affect your ability to find a job or rent a house or apartment. You will lose your reputation and standing in the community, and you may not be eligible to receive financial aid to further your education.

If you are charged with a drug crime, you will need to hire a highly experienced Tampa drug crimes attorney with substantial experience in protecting the rights of the accused and helping them avoid the worst potential consequences. You have too much to lose to risk facing charges alone or with an overworked public defender.

Your attorney will:

• Examine the police procedure that led to your arrest, to ensure your constitutional rights have not been violated
• Determine if you meet the qualifications for a diversion program that will result in dismissal of charges
• Pursue every possible avenue of defense
• Negotiate a plea bargain to reduce the charges, if it is in your best interest
• Defend you vigorously at trial, raising a “reasonable doubt” to achieve an acquittal

If you have been questioned or arrested and accused of a drug crime, you need the best help you can find. Attorney Will Hanlon has been successfully defending the rights of the accused in Tampa Bay and West Central Florida for more than two decades and has achieved outstanding results for his clients, in many cases helping them to avoid incarceration. Call him at the earliest hint that you are being investigated, because depending on the circumstances, he may even be able to avoid having charges files. In any event, the sooner Will is able to launch his investigation and begin to strategize your defense, the more opportunities will exist for dismissal or reduction of the charges. If the situation requires it, Will is a highly effective Tampa criminal defense lawyer who will present a persuasive case to a jury for your acquittal. But it is important that you call now.