Massachusetts Drug Crimes: Possession and Distribution
With more than 22 years of trial experience defending people accused of felony and misdemeanor drug crimes, Boston criminal trial lawyer Steve Topazio understands the legal and tactical considerations that can help expand your options for a favorable resolution while minimizing your exposure to punishment. For a free consultation about your case, contact the law firm of Steven J. Topazio, Attorney at Law.
Steve Topazio represents adults, juveniles and college students facing such drug charges as possession, distribution or trafficking in controlled substances. Whether your particular charge involves marijuana, cocaine, heroin, ecstasy or prescription drugs, you might well be facing mandatory prison time for a conviction depending on the quantity involved.
Energetic defense against drug charges based on a solid understanding of the law
Our experience has shown us that once you are linked through credible and properly obtained evidence to a particular drug in a particular quantity, you stand practically no chance of acquittal at trial. As a result, our main strategies for resolving serious drug crime charges in your favor are twofold: first, to do everything possible to keep your case in district court, where the maximum sentence is 30 months; and second, to take full advantage of every opportunity to keep the evidence against you out of court.
Through pretrial motions, we test the validity of every aspect of your arrest and the seizure of the evidence. Was there probable cause to stop your car or frisk you on the street? Was a search warrant for a raid on your house properly issued? Did a roommate or guest give a police officer unauthorized consent for the warrantless search of your room? We examine these and other issues to try to keep incriminating evidence out of court. When successful, our arguments on these and similar points will usually result in dismissal of the entire case against you.
In cases involving drug distribution in quantities of about a half ounce or less, we can usually keep your case in district court where your exposure to punishment will be much less than it will be in superior court. The cutoff point is 14 grams. Anything greater than that represents an indictable offense, with mandatory prison time for distribution or trafficking, depending on the quantity involved. For example, conviction of a drug trafficking crime involving more than 100 grams carries a mandatory sentence of 10 years.
To hold that over your head, however, the prosecution needs first to secure an indictment in superior court. Depending on the specific circumstances of your case — including the possibility of a successful motion on our part to keep the evidence out of court — the prosecution can sometimes be convinced that your case might better be resolved in district court, where your maximum sentence is nowhere near 10 years. That's where our experience and negotiation skills can benefit you.
As well as resolving specific drug crime charges, our firm also represents clients facing such related problems as asset forfeiture, money laundering charges, probation violations, or expungement issues. For additional information about our ability to represent your interests effectively in a drug case, contact criminal defense lawyer Steve Topazio in Boston.
