Maryland Heroin Possession Laws & Penalties
Arrested for Heroin Possession in Maryland? Get the Legal Help you Need to Fight a Drug Charge!
Heroin possession has perhaps the most severe stigma attached to it of all drug charges. Even if you aren’t an addict and don’t fit the drug offender stereotype, when you’re accused of heroin possession you will likely be judged by those around you. In other words, the consequences of a charge like this go far beyond the legal penalties and can affect your personal and professional life as well.
Heroin is highly addictive and is treated thusly by the Maryland courts. When you are accused of possessing heroin, you can expect to be treated like you’ve already been convicted. It can seem like no one is on your side.
Fortunately, a heroin possession charge is not the same as a conviction, and you do still have options. A local defense attorney can help you make the most of your situation, potentially avoiding some of the worst consequences of a charge like this.
Maryland Heroin Possession Laws & Penalties
Under Maryland law, possession of heroin is considered a felony charge and carries with it up to 4 years in prison and fines reaching $25,000. Rarely is anyone sentenced to the maximum penalty, though there are exceptions.
If this is your first (or even second) such charge, there is still a real chance that your attorney could help you avoid jail time altogether. Through alternative dispositions or Maryland drug courts, you could serve probation in lieu of incarceration.
Heroin Possession Defense Strategies
There is no one size fits all strategy for fighting drug possession charges, we have to analyze the facts exactly as they apply in your situation. The best defense strategy for your case can be determined by consulting with a local defense lawyer like myselfand discussing the facts of your case. No two heroin possession cases are alike and therefore the individualized treatment of an experienced attorney can be an asset.
Some charges are brought when the search that led to the drugs was in clear violation of your constitutional rights. In cases like this, the we will motion the court to suppress the evidence on grounds of illegal search, or other violations and ultimately try to get the charges dismissed.
In other situations, the best plan of action is to negotiate a plea agreement with the prosecutor for a lenient sentence, potentially getting you probation instead of incarceration.
Again, the best course of action depends largely on the facts of your case as well as things like your criminal history and the prosecutor who is representing the state.
The consequences of a heroin possession conviction can go far beyond the legal penalties. Having a criminal conviction on your record can make it difficult to find work and even to lease property. Avoiding a conviction should be your number one goal.
If you’re charged with heroin possession in Maryland, let us help. Contact my offices today for a free consultation.
Call For a Free Case Evaluation on your Maryland Drug Possession Charge
Call to discuss the fact of your case, what penalties you are likely facing, and what your chances are to get the charges dismissed, reduced, or a not guilty verdict if we go to trial.
I will give you the benefit of my experience fighting and winning drug cases in Maryland courts. Call now for a no obligation legal consultation. I’ll go over your case and tell you exactly what I can do to help.
Call (888) 452-4344 for your criminal defense consultation.