Cocaine Charges

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Cocaine abuse is a dangerous and potentially deadly habit, and the laws associated with its possession, manufacture and distribution are proportionately harsh as a result. Here in California the sentencing has evolved a number of times over the years, and today offenders face some stiff fines and possible jail time for drug-related crimes such as these. You may still be able to reach a better outcome with proper representation, however, especially if you retain good counsel in your corner. The Los Angeles cocaine crime lawyers at the Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf have been helping clients charged with every type of drug crime for several decades, and our approach is one of the most effective in Southern California.

What are the different penalties associated with cocaine crimes? Like other drugs, cocaine comes with a multi-tiered system of offenses, ranging from simple possession all the way up to sale and trafficking. Simple cocaine possession is without question the most common and the easiest to understand, as the charge refers to nothing more than being caught with cocaine on your person or under your control. Although the law applies a cutoff to separate possession from intent to sell, there is often some room for negotiation on this point depending on context.

Cocaine sale is far more serious, and will almost certainly involve prison time. The law categorizes various offenses in this area based on circumstance and danger to others. Selling to a minor is worse than selling to an adult, for instance, and a separate set of prison terms are defined for selling to daycare or preschool children. Trafficking includes the transport of cocaine, and may come with prison terms up to 9 years if the transport covered significant distances. The idea behind all such laws is to choke off the pipeline of cocaine and punish the people who bring this drug into communities and sell it to other parties.

That said, just because you have been charged with a cocaine crime doesn’t mean you should resign yourself to prison. A strong legal defense mounted by an experienced defense attorney is one of the surest ways to protect yourself, your family, and your finances from devastating penalties. If you have been charged with anything cocaine-related and want to avail yourself of a better legal team who will fight aggressively to get your charges reduced or dismissed, contact The Law Offices of Lawrence Wolf today for a free consultation.