What to Do If You’re Charged with Cocaine Possession in Florida: An Executive Legal Guide
Cocaine possession is a serious charge in Florida that, as a minimum, is treated as a third-degree felony. If you have been charged with cocaine possession, an experienced Florida drug possession defense attorney at Alers Law Firm can defend you.
Every moment matters before and after you have been arrested for cocaine possession. Your actions may mean the difference between acquittal and a long jail sentence. You must begin work immediately to have a chance at obtaining the best possible outcome in your case, and the most effective way to do that is to hire a criminal defense lawyer without delay.
If you have been charged with cocaine possession, reach out to an experienced Florida drug crimes defense lawyer at Alers Law Firm by calling our team at 407-930-4888. We can begin work on your legal defense promptly, while giving you a measure of peace of mind when you are in a stressful situation.
Cocaine Possession Carries Serious Potential Penalties
If you have been charged with cocaine possession in Florida, you may be facing serious penalties. A conviction on simple possession may mean the following:
- Up to 5 years in prison
- A fine of up to $5,000
- The loss of your driver’s license
Hire a Criminal Defense Attorney Immediately
The absolute first thing that you should do if you have been charged with cocaine possession is to contact a criminal defense lawyer to represent you. There is much that happens in the early days of any criminal case, which means that your legal rights cannot be unprotected for any amount of time. The authorities may try to extract a confession or push you into a quick guilty plea, especially when you do not know your legal rights or have anyone to stand up for them. Hiring a criminal defense attorney gives you someone who is in your corner at all times and whose job it is to protect your rights.
Avoid Making Mistakes that Can Harm Your Legal Defense
At the same time, you must also recognize that you cannot do anything on your own to get out of trouble. This means that you should not try to speak to law enforcement without an attorney present because anything that you say can be used against you in your case. Make sure that you maintain complete silence regarding your situation because law enforcement may be watching closely. You should avoid speaking to any potential witnesses because it could be considered tampering.
Another common error that can give law enforcement more ammunition to use against you is when you consent to any search. While authorities can conduct a limited search at the time of your arrest, they otherwise need a search warrant to seize any evidence that they will use against you. Giving consent waives your rights, and it can keep you from challenging the evidence in court during the legal process.
Preserve Evidence That You Can Use in Your Defense
From the outside of your case, you should always assume that you are going to fight the charges in court. You can always make the decision to engage in plea bargain negotiations at any time during your case. Accordingly, if you have any evidence that can contradict what the prosecutor is alleging, you should carefully preserve it to give to your criminal defense attorney. Make sure that you remember all possible witnesses, so your criminal defense attorney can interview them.
You Can Potentially Defend Against the Charges
Given the potential penalties involved with a cocaine possession conviction, you may need to take an aggressive legal position in defending against charges. Drug possession charges rely extensively on physical evidence and intent. Accordingly, if you can challenge either, you may have the charges dismissed or win an acquittal in court.
Your criminal defense attorney can review your case and determine whether any of the following defenses apply to your situation:
- Perhaps the strongest way to fight cocaine possession charges is to contest the evidence itself. You may argue that the evidence was illegally seized in violation of your Fourth Amendment rights.
- You did not know that you possessed drugs at all, or that the substance that you are alleged to have possessed was cocaine
- There was a break in the chain of custody of the physical evidence that leads to it not being reliable
- Your legal rights were otherwise violated at some point in the legal process
Contact a Drug Crimes Defense Law Firm in Florida
You deserve a strong legal defense, and Alers Law Firm can provide that to you. Take the first step towards defending against cocaine possession charges by scheduling an initial consultation, which you can do by messaging us online or by calling our attorneys at 407-930-4888.
