The United States of America has extremely strict laws when it comes to drug possession and not many states are stricter than Florida. While marijuana is becoming more and more acceptable, the punishment for being in possession of cocaine is as harsh as ever. It doesn’t matter how much you are in possession of, even if it is just some cocaine residue in a bag or on your hands, it is a Third Degree Felony in FL.
If someone is arrested and convicted of felony possession of cocaine, they can receive a sentence of up to five years in prison and five years of probation. Plus up to $5,000 in fines. While this all sounds like hell if you find yourself arrested for possession of cocaine, hiring a defense lawyer with experience in these matters can make all the difference between reduced charges or a lengthy prison sentence.
There are some strong defense strategies for dealing with this charge. For example, what if the cocaine was found in a place where more than one person had access to it? There have been plenty of cases where a defendant may have been driving a friend’s car and had no idea that there were any drugs inside the vehicle. And of course, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the police conducted an illegal search and seizure.
That’s why you need a skilled defense attorney by your side. They can examine the police procedure that was used to make the arrest. Your defense team can investigate what really happened at the arrest stop. With any luck, they might uncover some constitutional rights violations and may be able to have the charges dismissed.
