Yuma Drug Crimes Lawyer

Helpful Legal Solutions to Protect Your Future

Arizona has some of the nation's toughest drug laws. Being a border city, there are concerns of drug trafficking that can make even small possession charges balloon into much more serious consequences. It is crucial that you get help from an experienced Yuma drug crimes lawyer to help you protect yourself from a conviction. At Bowman, Smith & Kallen, we offer over a century of shared legal knowledge to help you understand your situation and make the best use of the legal options you have available. Contact us today to get started on building your case.

Dial (928) 433-2355 now and schedule your free consultation with the team at Bowman, Smith & Kallen. You can also contact us online.

Working to Avoid a Conviction

Border states are considered high-intensity drug trafficking areas. Arizona alone shares a 370-mile border with Mexico and is considered a national-level distribution center for controlled substances. It is also the second leading state (behind Texas) in the total quantity of illegal drugs seized in the United States (2002). Here, drug crimes are subject to increasingly severe penalties under state and federal laws, including the Patriot Act and the Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000, which make it easier for law enforcement and tougher on those accused of drug offenses.

Mandatory minimums have gotten increasingly stringent and incarceration rates have swelled under the so-called War on Drugs. In Arizona, all drug crimes are charged as felonies of varying degrees. Unlike other states where minor possession charges can be either ticketed offenses or misdemeanors, Arizona can attach serious crimes to your record that will follow you everywhere you go, making it tough to find housing, employment, or even loan opportunities. No matter how big or small your drug charge may be, it is crucial that you get help from someone who can protect your future.

Drug charges are charged on an increasing scale of felonies, including:

• Class 6: Possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use only. It is possible that this crime can be reduced to a misdemeanor with the right legal strategy.
• Class 5: Possession of a small amount of marijuana, but produced at home.
• Class 4: Sale of marijuana and possession of other narcotics. Typically, this lower sentence is reserved for first-time offenders and can carry fines of $2000 and jail sentencing.

Defenses to Drug Charges

We are prepared to protect your rights and obtain the best results possible in your case. Our criminal defense attorneys have intimate knowledge of the strategies and techniques available to fight your case.

The following are some elements we will meticulously investigate to develop the best defense possible in your case:

• Your initial contact with law enforcement: Did the officers act lawfully? Did they inform you of your legal rights? Were all search and seizure efforts conducted legitimately?
• Your arrest: Did the officers have the right to arrest you? Were your legal rights protected during this process?
• The drugs: Where were the drugs found? Can the prosecution prove your connection to/involvement with those drugs? Were you aware you actually had the drugs? Was a valid prescription used to obtain the drugs? Were you able to reach the drugs in the location where they were discovered? Whose drugs were they?
• Police behavior: Did entrapment occur? Did the police inform you of your legal rights? Did they obey all search and seizure laws? Were their investigations conducted properly?
• The evidence: Is there enough evidence to convict you? Was the evidence handled properly?

These and other elements of your case will be examined to determine the best way to proceed in protecting your best interests. You need an attorney with the utmost experience and skill so that you have the best chance at avoiding or reducing serious penalties.

Call Bowman, Smith & Kallen today by dialing (928) 433-2355 now.