What To Know About Drug Crime Charges in Minnesota
Have you been charged with a drug-related or controlled substance crime? Being charged with a drug crime is a very serious matter, and is something that could result in you having to serve time in prison and potentially pay a fine as well. That’s why it’s important to make sure that you have a good drug crime defense lawyer by your side to help handle your case. Here are some things to know regarding the laws surrounding drug crime charges in Minnesota: Best Criminal Defense Attorney Near Minneapolis
What Are the Different Types of Drug Crime Charges?
There are many different categories of drug crime charges that you can be charged with, each one entailing different kinds of penalties that you may have to face in the event that you are found guilty of a crime. Here are the different types of drug crime charges that you can potentially be charged with:
- Controlled Substance Crime in the First Degree (152.021): sale of 10 grams or more of cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine; sale of 50 grams or more of a substance that contains a hallucinogen, amphetamine, phencyclidine; sale of 50 kilograms or more of marijuana; possession of 25 grams or more of cocaine, heroin or methamphetamine; possession of 500 grams or more of a substance that contains a narcotic drug; 100 kilograms or more of a substance that contains marijuana
- Controlled Substance Crime in the Second Degree (152.022): sale of 3 grams or more of cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine; sale of 10 grams or more of another narcotic drug; sale of 10 grams or more of amphetamine, phencyclidine, or hallucinogen; the sale of 25 kilograms of marijuana; possession of 6 grams or more of cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine; possession of 50 grams or more of a narcotic drug; possession of 50 grams or more of amphetamine, phencyclidine, or hallucinogen; possession of 50 kilograms or more of marijuana
- Controlled Substance Crime in the Third Degree (152.023): sale of a narcotic drug, a mixture that contains phencyclidine or hallucinogen, a mixture of schedule I, II, or II drugs; sale of 5 kilograms of marijuana
- Controlled Substance Crime in the Fourth Degree (152.024): sale of a mixture containing a controlled substance classified in schedule I, II, or III; sale of marijuana in a school zone
- Controlled Substance Crime in the Fifth Degree (152.025): sale of marijuana; sale of one or more mixtures that contain a controlled substance classified as schedule IV
What Are the Potential Penalties For Drug Crime Charges?
- First Degree Controlled Substance Crime: Up to 30 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $1,000,000. If this is a repeat offense, there is a mandatory prison sentence of 4 years and a maximum of up to 40 years.
- Second Degree Controlled Substance: Up to 25 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $500,000. If this is a repeat offense, there is a mandatory prison sentence of 3 years and of up to 40 years.
- Third Degree Controlled Substance: Up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000. If it’s a second or subsequent offense, there is a mandatory sentence of 2 years in prison and up to 30 years.
- Fourth Degree Controlled Substance: Up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000.
- Fifth Degree Controlled Substance: Up to 5 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000
If you have been charged with a drug offense, then you will need to seek legal representation from a professional criminal defense lawyer, like Lauren Campoli, and discuss the specifics of your particular case with them. What’s more, a criminal defense lawyer could potentially help you to lower a criminal offense or charge that has been brought against you, or even help you to potentially avoid any kind of sentencing or fines. Contact Lauren Campoli, the best criminal defense lawyer in Minneapolis-St Paul MN, today.