The laws criminalizing the possession, use, and sale of drugs in Ohio are both numerous and complex, which can make being accused of one of these offenses even more overwhelming for a defendant. We have included some information to help answer your most basic questions about drug crimes in Ohio, but realize that even with these guidelines, it can be challenging to figure out what a charge means and the potential penalties that come with it, so if you or a loved one were recently charged with a drug offense in Ohio and have more questions, please feel free to call our experienced Montgomery County drug offense lawyers to learn more about your legal options.
Drug crimes generally fall into one of two categories in Ohio, with the first involving allegations of drug possession. Under state law, it is illegal to have a controlled substance like marijuana, cocaine, or ecstasy in one’s possession. Similarly, those who don’t have a valid prescription for certain types of drugs, such as Xanax, Valium, or Vicodin, can be charged with illegal drug possession.
To qualify as possession under state law, a person must be deemed to have had control over the substance in question. Generally, whether this control exists depends on a person’s access to the substance. This means that a drug does not necessarily have to be found in someone’s pocket for him or her to be charged with drug possession. If, for example, a drug is found in a person’s purse, bag, or glove compartment, he or she could be charged with possession.
The term drug trafficking actually encompasses a few different activities, including:
Drug trafficking does not always involve a monetary component or transaction, as simply giving someone else an illegal drug, or trading it, qualifies as drug trafficking under Ohio law. To learn more about this and other drug charges in Ohio, please call our Montgomery County drug offense legal team today.
There are a wide range of penalties that come with a conviction of either the possession or trafficking of a controlled substance. The severity of these penalties will depend on a few different factors, including the type of drug in question, where the drug falls on the state’s list of controlled substances, the amount of the drug, and the defendant’s prior criminal record. Most convictions, however, come with jail time, fines, and probation. In some cases, a person may also have his or her driver’s license suspended or revoked.
Because every case is unique, the defense strategies that will give a person the best chance of escaping severe penalties like jail time when charged with a criminal offense, will also vary depending on the specific circumstances of his or her case. If you have been charged with a drug offense in Ohio and have questions about what to do next, please reach out to an experienced Montgomery County drug offense lawyer at the Comunale Law Office to learn more about your legal options. You can reach us via online message or by sending an email to contact@comunalelaw.com today.
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If you have been charged with a crime in the Dayton area, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney on your side. The attorneys at Comunale Law Office fight to defend the rights of our clients. We have built our reputation on getting results.