Possession of Cocaine Defense Attorneys 

Cocaine is a highly addictive drug. Any amount of possession of cocaine is a felony offense.

 

Possession of cocaine can result in state prison for 2-4years depending on the amount. If the reason for possession is to sell the substance, then one may face 3-9 years in state prison. Additionally, there are different prison terms depending on who the sale is made to (minors, schools, etc).

Transporting or importing cocaine can result in prison for 3-5 years.

In Federal Court, the law has a disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine. President Obama recently passed a bill reducing the unjust disparity which was a ratio of 100:1 to 18:1 in relation to the mandatory minimum sentences involving the possession of cocaine. There are some Judges that use their own 1:1 ratio. Depends what Federal Court the defendant is being tried in.

As a Federal offense, possession of more than 500 grams of cocaine are as follows:

Imprisonment for 5-40 years or where a death or serious injury can be traced to the cocaine, the penalties increase to a prison sentence of 20 years to life and/or a fine of up to $2 million for an individual defendant and up to $5 million where the defendant is not an individual.

If the defendant has a prior conviction for a felony drug offense that has not been completed, he or she will be sent to prison for 10 years to life and if death or serious injury resulted from the cocaine use and the defendant has a prior conviction, he or she will be sent to prison for life and/or be required to pay a fine of up to $4 million for an individual and up to $10 million if the defendant is other than an individual.

Penalties for possession of more than 5 kg of cocaine or a substance containing coca leaves are even harsher and result in double the prison sentences and fines.

Due these severe penalties, it is essential to have a qualified and experienced criminal defense lawyer who knows and understands the federal and state drug laws.

At Hedding Law Firm, our  drug lawyers have a combined 75 years of experience and have handled thousands of criminal cases involving drug possession, distribution, trafficking.

Contact our  lawyers in L.A. for a free face to face consultation if you are facing charges involving cocaine or crack cocaine.