Greensboro Drug Crimes Lawyer

If you have been charged with a drug crime in North Carolina, your opponent – the prosecution – has endless resources available to develop its case against you. In order to balance the score, you need an experienced Greensboro drug crimes lawyer. You can trust the attorneys at Schlosser & Pritchett to mount a knowledgeable defense whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony drug charge or from simple possession of marijuana to drug trafficking.

Types of North Carolina Drug Crimes

  • Violating drug trafficking laws
  • Possession, selling, distribution, transporting, cultivation, and manufacturing of
    • Marijuana
    • Crack
    • Cocaine
    • Crystal Meth (including running meth labs)
    • Hallucinogens
    • Narcotics
    • Ecstasy
    • GHB
    • Opiates
    • Prescription drugs such as Vicodin, Valium, Percocet, or OxyContin
  • Obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or forgery
  • Maintaining a dwelling or motor vehicle to store drugs
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia
  • Other drug offenses

North Carolina Drug Classifications

How you are charged depends mainly on what substance was found in your possession. The federal government adopted a classification system based on “schedules.” North Carolina statutes revolve around these schedules.

Schedule I drugs include those that are the most dangerous and have a high risk of addiction or dependency and no legitimate medical use. Drugs included under this heading include LSD, ecstasy, heroin, and mescaline.

Schedule II substances still have a high risk of abuse but may have legitimate medical uses. These include things like opium, cocaine, methadone, methamphetamines, and amphetamines.

Schedule III drugs are slightly less dangerous than Schedule II substances but still have a moderate risk of abuse. Schedule III substances include anabolic steroids, testosterone, ketamine, and some depressants.

Schedule IV drugs have a slight risk of dependency and have very acceptable medical uses. Some Schedule IV drugs are Valium, Xanax, tranquilizers, and sedatives.

Schedule V substances have a very low risk of dependency and include things like Tylenol with Codeine.

Schedule VI substances, like schedule V, have no medical use and a very low risk of dependency. Marijuana is included in this schedule.

Possible Consequences of North Carolina Drug Crimes

North Carolina Drug Possession Penalties

The following chart represents your potential sentence if you are charged with a first-offense drug possession charge under North Carolina drug laws. .

If the substance or drug is:  Then the potential sentence is:
Schedule I- Class I  3-8 months in prison
Felony Schedule II- Class 1  6 months-1 year in jail
Misdemeanor Schedule III- Class 1 misdemeanor  6 months-1 year in jail
Schedule IV- Class 1 misdemeanor  6 months-1 year in jail
Schedule V- Class 2 misdemeanor  30 days- 6 months in jail
Schedule VI- Class 3 misdemeanor  Up to 30 days in jail

Drug Possession w/Intent to Distribute – Penalties

Drug possession with intent to distribute is a more serious crime than possession alone. Under North Carolina law, possession of a certain amount of a controlled substance can result in a conviction for a trafficking offense that carries a mandatory prison sentence, even for a first-time offender. A drug sentence depends on the substance you were caught with and if you have any prior criminal history or convictions. The following chart gives you an idea of the potential sentence for first-time offenders being charged with possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Illegal Trafficking Penalties

Category Weight Duration Fine

Marijuana

10 – 49 lbs.  Class H Felony 25 – 30 Months $5,000 Fine
50 – 1,999 lbs.  Class G Felony 35 – 42 Months $25,000 Fine
2,000 – 9,999 lbs.  Class F Felony 70 – 84 Months $50,000 Fine
10,000 lbs. or more  Class D Felony 175 – 219 Months $200,000 Fine

Heroin

4 – 13 grams  Class F Felony 70 – 84 Months $50,000 Fine
14 – 27 grams  Class E Felony 90 – 117 Months $100,000 Fine
28 grams or more  Class C Felony 225 – 279 Months $250,000 Fine

Cocaine

28 – 199 grams  Class G Felony 35 – 42 Months $50,000 Fine
200 – 399 grams  Class F Felony 70 – 87 Months $100,000 Fine
400 grams or more  Class D Felony 175 – 219 Months $250,000 Fine

Methamphetamines

28 – 199 grams  Class F Felony 70 – 84 Months $50,000 Fine
200 – 399 grams  Class E Felony 90 – 117 Months $100,000 Fine
400 grams or more Class C Felony 225 – 279 Months $250,000 Fine

Schlosser & Pritchett – Experienced Greensboro Drug Crime Lawyers

Whether you have been charged with drug possession or drug trafficking in North Carolina, you need to contact a knowledgeable North Carolina drug crime lawyer. We can file motions to suppress evidence against you and argue illegal search in many circumstances. Police often make mistakes in drug arrests, and a good Greensboro drug crime defense attorney can spot any errors in police procedures stemming either from a police report or police testimony.

Drug charges against you can be dismissed or reduced if:

  • The officer did not have a valid reason to stop you.
  • The officer did not have a valid reason to search you, your home (or whatever place you were), or your vehicle.
  • Your consent to the search was not free and voluntary, or the officer exceeded the scope of your consent.
  • If you agree to talk to the police officer in the presence of your attorney.
  • The officer cannot prove that you were in possession of the drugs.

Only experienced defense attorneys who have handled many drug cases in North Carolina courts possess the negotiating skills and the knowledge to effectively mount a successful defense against Greensboro drug crimes. Trust the criminal defense attorneys at Schlosser & Pritchett when your freedom or lifestyle is at stake.

Call 336.292.4076 or use the convenient online form at the right of the page to submit your information, and we will contact you promptly.