Our Defense Team Includes a Former Drug Task Force Director and Other Highly Skilled Attorneys To Defend Your Distribution of CDS Charge
State and local law enforcement agencies throughout New Jersey commit time and resources to stopping those who sell, distribute or possess drugs with intent to distribute. These efforts are supported by New Jersey drug distribution laws that are among the toughest in the nation with stiff prison terms for those convicted of selling or possession with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substances (“CDS”). If you were arrested and charged with drug distribution in Secaucus or another Hudson County community, you need representation by an experienced criminal defense attorney who can effectively present legal defenses to challenge the search and seizure, interrogation, and other investigative methods used by the police in your case.
The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall has a team of drug distribution defense lawyers with qualifications that make it an excellent candidate to defend your Secaucus charges. We can offer you:
- 200 years of combined experience
- Ten (10) lawyers who devote their practice exclusively to criminal defense
- Former county prosecutors that include a Director of the Drug Task Force, Major Crimes Unit, Juvenile and even the entire Trial Division
- Certified criminal trial attorneys on staff
A distribution offense requires a skilled attorney who will aggressively attack the evidence and the prosecution case. Indeed, a criminal charge for selling marijuana, heroin, cocaine or another form of CDS can be beaten but it requires considerable skill. A lawyer at our staff is ready to discuss the specifics of your charges and how we can help you achieve the best outcome to your offense. Call us now at 201-309-0500 for a free initial consultation.
Charged With Manufacturing, Distributing or Possession With Intent to Distribute Drugsin Secaucus New Jersey
Controlled dangerous substance (CDS) distribution is illegal in New Jersey in accordance with N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5. The law makes it a crime to manufacture, dispense or distribute drugs like cocaine, heroin, marijuana, LSD, MDMA (a.k.a. ecstasy/molly) and methamphetamine. A separate law is set forth at N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10.5 to address distribution or possession with intent to distribute Xanax, Suboxone, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Fentanyl and other prescription legends drugs. Depending on the amount of CDS in your possession or the presence of scales, envelopes or large amounts of cash, the police can arrest you for distribution based solely on evidence tending to prove your intent to manufacture, dispense or distribute a CDS.
Our attorneys frequently defend people charged with CDS distribution when the substance turns out to be a fake or counterfeit drug. You can be convicted of drug distribution if the evidence proves an intent to sell or distribute a substance that turns out not to be a real CDS, which is why we carefully review the circumstances of your arrest and the evidence supporting it to identify the most effective method for challenging the basis for the arrest. A common misconception about drug distribution is that money must be exchanged for a CDS for there to be a violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5. Giving a friend a pain-relief medication prescribed for you by your doctor could lead to your arrest for drug distribution because receiving something of value in exchange for a CDS is not an element of the crime.
Secaucus Penalties For Distributing Drugs
Some of the common penalties judges impose for a drug distribution conviction include the following:
Distribution of 5 ounces of heroin or cocaine: Crime of the first degree punishable by at least 10 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine as high as $500,000
Distribution of 25 pounds of marijuana: Crime of the first degree with a maximum fine of $300,000 and from 10 to 20 years in prison
Distribution of less than 100 milligrams of LSD: Crime of the second degree punishable by a minimum of five years in prison with a maximum prison term of 10 years and a maximum fine of $150,000
Distribution of an ounce of marijuana: Crime of the third degree crime punished by fines up to $25,000 and up to five years in prison
Distribution of less than an ounce of marijuana: Crime of the fourth degree punishable by up to 18 months in prison
Drug Court and other diversion programs like Pretrial Intervention can be available as alternatives in drug distribution cases. We review programs and eligibility requirements in an effort to allow you to avoid the penalties and criminal record associated with a conviction.
Secaucus NJ Controlled Dangerous Substance Distribution Attorney
A Secaucus drug distribution charge needs experienced legal representation by a criminal lawyer committed to protecting your freedom and future. At the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, our attorneys understand how the penalties and criminal record of a drug distribution conviction can affect your life, so we dedicate ourselves to aggressively fighting to allow you to avoid the consequences of a conviction. Call us now at 201-309-0500 where an attorney is available 24/7 for a free consultation.
