When dealing with drug offenses, especially cases involving conspiracy charges, it is essential that you retain legal counsel immediately. A lawyer will protect your rights, fight to get you released on bail while awaiting trial, begin negotiating a reduction of charges, and prepare for your defense. Conspiracy charges can be treated as seriously as the actual crime, and you need a serious attorney to deal with these matters. Contact the Law Offices of Geoffrey G. Nathan.
What is a Conspiracy?
A conspiracy is essentially an agreement between two or more people to engage in some form of illegal activity. Any conspiracy to commit an illegal act is considered a federal crime, whether it involves the planning or execution of the criminal activity. The crime of conspiracy is usually complete as soon as the agreement is reached, although some statutes require prosecutors to show that at least one of the conspirators committed some act which furthered the plan. The action doesn't have to be illegal, but it does have to indicate that the conspirators intended to break the law.
Controlled Substances
A controlled substance can include any drug or precursor to a drug found in the federal drug schedules. The federal drug schedules are a list of drugs, ranging from Schedule I, which can include Heroin, Cocaine, and other narcotics, to Schedule V, which include cough suppressants with codeine. In between those extremes is virtually every drug, whether sold and purchased on the street or in a pharmacy. The controlled substance's rank on the schedules is determined by comparing the potential for abuse and dependence versus the benefits of medicinal use.
Penalties
The punishments for various offenses involving controlled substances can vary wildly depending on the drug schedules, the quantity possessed, and prior offenses. Conviction of conspiracy carries a maximum 5 year prison sentence, plus fines up to $250,000, and restitution plus forfeiture of property. In the case of drug trafficking, the conspiracy penalty can be punished as severely as the underlying offense, increasing the maximum sentence.
Contact the Law Offices of Geoffrey G. Nathan
There are viable defenses for conspiracy charges and controlled substances offenses. The key is to take advantage of an expert attorney with a proven track record of success, who has handled serious crimes on both the state and federal levels. Contact a controlled substances conspiracy attorney at the Massachusetts Law Offices of Geoffrey G. Nathan today.