Philadelphia Drug Possession Charges Lawyers

The most common drug charge in Philadelphia is Possession With Intent to Deliver and/or Manufacture a Controlled Substance (PWID). Many people are confused by the charge. They say, "I've been charged with manufacturing and I didn't make any drugs." However, the charge basically means dealing drugs. It is a felony and you are looking at a mandatory minimum sentence of at least one year in state prison if you are convicted.

Drug possession charges in Philadelphia usually involve cocaine or crack cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and prescription painkillers such as Oxycontyn, Vicodin, and Percocet. The factor that changes a simple drug possession charge to possession with intent to deliver is usually the quantity of drugs. If you are arrested with more than two grams of cocaine or more than one gram of heroin, you would be charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver, a charge subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of at least one year in prison.

If you have been charged with simple possession or possession with intent to deliver (PWID), we offer a free initial consultation to explain your options in simple, easy-to-understand language.

There are many defenses a skilled criminal defense lawyer can use in drug possession cases:

• If the police stop or the search and seizure were in violation of your Constitutional rights, we can bring a motion to suppress the evidence. A drug case with no drug evidence is a not-guilty verdict.
• If you are arrested based on information supplied by a confidential informant, we can introduce a motion to compel the district attorney or police to turn over the name of the confidential informant. If they don't (and they hardly ever do), the case can be dismissed—you have a right under the 6th Amendment to the Constitution to confront witnesses against you.

If the drug evidence can't be thrown out, the best outcome may be to negotiate a plea arrangement. Success in a drug case isn't always not guilty vs. guilty. Sometimes it's probation vs. jail. Pennsylvania offers a number of diversion programs such as Intermediate Punishment and Drug Treatment Court that will allow you to resolve drug charges without jail time and without a felony conviction on your record.

Contact us for your free consultation today!