Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
Police in St. Johns County were called in this month to seize and break down a methamphetamines lab in a St. Johns County hotel. There was no information published in local media reports on any arrests involving the bust, according to the report on News4Jax. St. Johns County Drug Crimes involving methamphetamines can have serious ramifications, and will almost certainly be felony charges. The severity of charges, which dictates the likely punishment in St. Johns County Drug Crimes Cases, is based primarily on two things: the type of drugs the person is accused of having and the amount of the drug police can prove the person had in his or her possession.
St. Johns County Drug Crimes Cases involving meth are typically felonies. The charges for manufacturing methamphetamines are typically second-degree felonies punishable by up to 15 years in state prison. Those charges are upgraded to a first-degree felony with a 30-year maximum penalty if the drugs are produced in the presence of minors. The charged are enhanced because the fumes emitted during the process of cooking the meth are toxic and can be extremely dangerous, especially to children. Typically when meth labs are discovered in hotels or apartment complexes, immediate neighbors are evacuated so the rooms can be decontaminated. Even possessing the chemicals used to make meth can be charged as a second-degree felony, though it certainly improves the state’s case if the drugs are found in the vicinity of where the chemicals are found.
When it comes to the amount in St. Johns County Drug Crimes Cases, a person can be charged with trafficking in meth if he or she has just 14 grams of the drug. For comparison, possession of marijuana is not even a felony until the person is accused of having more than 20 grams. Trafficking in meth is a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in state prison, and minimum mandatory sentences also apply. Many people think that someone can only be charged with drug trafficking if the person is caught selling drugs. That is not the case. In St. Johns County Drug Cases, the amount of the drug is the only thing that can constitute a trafficking charge – even if the drugs are only for personal use. Our St. Johns County Drug Crimes Attorney represents people accused of all types of drug crimes. From misdemeanor marijuana possession on up to trafficking in cocaine, our St. Johns County Criminal Defense Attorney will thoroughly investigate the charges and lay out the options for you or your loved one so you can make an informed decision on how to proceed.
If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our St. Johns County Drug Crimes Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.