Drug Crime Defense

Both Connecticut and the federal government prohibit the illegal possession, sale, manufacturing, and distribution of certain controlled substances. These substances can include marijuana; narcotics like heroin and cocaine; and unauthorized prescription medicines like Oxycontin and Vicodin. 

Prosecutors and police in New Haven take the “war on drugs” very seriously and are likely to pursue the harshest sentence they can for drug-related crimes. Being convicted of a drug offense can lead to incarceration, substantial fines, probation, court-ordered drug treatment programs, suspension of driving privileges, community service, and random drug testing. The severity of punishment depends on the type and amount of the drug involved, whether the drug was sold, manufactured, or distributed use of weapons, and the existence of a prior criminal record. 

When it comes to defending my clients against drug charges, I make sure to conduct a thorough investigation and review all the evidence. Criminal defense strategies that have proven effective for beating a drug charge include: 

• Showing lack of probable cause for a traffic stop
• Proving the drugs belong to someone else
• Asserting that the drugs were searched for and obtained illegally
• Showing that the accused is the victim of entrapment
• Forcing the prosecution to prove the alleged illicit substance is actually a drug

If you suffer from drug addiction, I will strive to convince the prosecutor that you need treatment, not criminal punishment. This may entail advocating for your acceptance into one of Connecticut’s Pretrial Drug Education Programs.