Fort Worth Drug Crimes Attorney

Aggressive Defense Against Drug Charges in Texas

Texas is one of the few states that punish drug crimes particularly harshly. Many people spend years in prison for drug possession offenses involving small amounts of marijuana and end up suffering the consequences for decades. Other states may only impose fines and up to one year in jail for similar offenses, demonstrating the seriousness of drug crimes in Texas. As such, prosecutors waste no time in building their cases against the accused and work hard to put suspected drug offenders behind bars and off the streets.

You need a Fort Worth drug crimes lawyer who works harder to defend your freedom and future. We know how badly a drug crime accusation can damage your livelihood and will exhaust every strategy needed to minimize or prevent that outcome. The most important decision you can make while your case or investigation is pending is to hire an experienced Fort Worth drug crime attorney to represent your best interests and advocate for a favorable outcome on your behalf.

The sooner you contact The Alband Law Firm, the better. Call (817) 997-4366 and schedule a free initial consultation with our Fort Worth drug attorney to learn how we can champion your rights!

Types of Drug Charges We Defend Against

Texas categorizes drugs as narcotics, depressants, stimulants and hallucinogens. You could face various types of drug charges in Texas, all of which depend on the nature of your reported crime, including the type and amount of drugs allegedly involved.

Common offenses that our Fort Worth drug crime lawyer defends include:

• Drug possession
  • Possession with intent to distribute
• Smuggling
• Drug manufacturing/delivery
• Drug trafficking
• Prescription drug fraud

Understanding Texas Drug Crime Penalties

Texas categorizes controlled substances into penalty groups 1, 1-A, 2, 2-A, 3 and 4. Each penalty group categorizes drugs based on their danger and dependency level, and involves harsh consequences for those who break the law. Lower penalty groups, 3 and 4, are punished less harshly than their higher counterparts, penalty groups 1 through 2-A. For example, if you commit the following offenses, you could go to prison and be subject to steep fines:

Manufacture or Delivery of Penalty 1 Substance

• Less than 1 gram: State jail felony
• 1-4 grams: First-degree felony
• 4-200 grams: First-degree felony

Possession of Penalty 2 Substance

• Less than 1 gram: State jail felony
• 1-4 grams: Third-degree felony
• 4-400 grams: Second-degree felony

Manufacture or Delivery of Penalty 3 or 4 Substance

• Less than 28 grams: State jail felony
• 28-200 grams: Second-degree felony
• 200-400 grams: First-degree felony

Possession of Penalty 4 Substance

• Less than 28 grams: Class B misdemeanor
• 28-200 grams & 200-400 grams: Felony level determined by the judge
• More than 400 grams: First-degree felony

If convicted of a drug crime in Texas, you could suffer the following legal punishments:

• First-degree felony: 5-99 years or life in prison; $10,000 fine
• Second-degree felony: 2-20 years in prison; $10,000 fine
• Third-degree felony: 2-10 years in prison; $10,000 fine
• State jail felony: 180 days to 2 years in prison; $10,000 fine
• Class A misdemeanor: 1 year in jail; $4,000 fine
• Class B misdemeanor: 180 days in jail; $2,000 fine
• Class C misdemeanor: $500 fine

Federal and Texas Drug Schedule

Texas follows the federal drug schedules when determining the classification of illegal controlled substances. There are five drug schedules, or categories, recognized by the federal government that classify controlled substances on the abuse rate, accepted medical use and likelihood for psychological or physical dependence.

Schedule I: Drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Some examples of Schedule I drugs are heroin, LSD, marijuana, ecstasy, methaqualone and peyote.

Schedule II: Drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are considered dangerous and include combination products with less than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone per dosage unit (Vicodin), cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, fentanyl, Dexedrine, Adderall and Ritalin.

Schedule III: Drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence and an abuse potential that is less than Schedule I and Schedule II drugs but more than Schedule IV. Examples include Products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids and testosterone

Schedule IV: Drugs with a low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence. Some examples include Xanax, Soma, Darvon, Darvocet, Valium and Tramadol.

Schedule V: Drugs with lower potential for abuse than Schedule IV and consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics. They are typically used for antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic purposes.

Contact Our Fort Worth Drug Crimes Lawyer Today

As you can see, Texas can be unforgiving when penalizing drug crimes. It is one of the handfuls of states that prosecutes drug charges to an extremely harsh degree, therefore you need a seasoned advocate who can stand up for your rights and champion your freedom. It takes a fearless, experienced drug crime attorney in Fort Worth to increase your chances of getting your charges reduced or dropped altogether. That’s why you can depend on The Alband Law Firm to represent you.

Ready to discuss your case? Contact our skilled Fort Worth drug crimes lawyer at (817) 997-4366 today!