Drug Crimes Attorneys

Georgia vigorously prosecutes drug cases, and the penalties can be harsh. It is important to hire a serious and experienced criminal defense attorney. We help clients accused of drug crimes that range from simple possession to trafficking.

Call (678) 680-5000 or contact us online to discuss your case with a drug crimes lawyer in our office.

Types of Drug Crimes in Georgia

We represent clients charged with drug crimes, including:

• Simple Possession
• Possession with intent to distribute
• Sale of a controlled substance
• Trafficking or manufacturing
• Prescription forgery

Unfortunately, police may conduct an illegal search without a warrant to gather evidence. If you are facing charges for a drug crime, you need an experienced criminal defense lawyer to perform a thorough investigation and challenge any potential misconduct that may have taken place when gathering evidence.

What are the Penalties for Drug Crimes in Georgia?

Being charged with a drug crime can have serious implications on your life, from legal penalties to long-lasting effects on your personal and professional relationships. At Crawford and Boyle, LLC, we believe that understanding the potential consequences is crucial for anyone facing such charges. Our experienced legal team is here to guide you through the complexities of drug crime laws and help you make informed decisions.

Here are some potential consequences of drug crime convictions:

• Criminal Record: A conviction can lead to a permanent criminal record, affecting your employment opportunities and housing options.
• Fines and Restitution: Depending on the severity of the crime, you may face hefty fines or be required to pay restitution to victims.
• Imprisonment: Many drug offenses carry mandatory minimum sentences, which can result in significant prison time.
• Probation: Instead of serving time, you may be placed on probation, which comes with strict conditions that must be followed.
• Impact on Family: Drug crime charges can strain family relationships and impact child custody arrangements.

Our dedicated attorneys at Crawford and Boyle, LLC are committed to defending your rights and working tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome for your case. We will explore all legal options available to you, including plea bargains and alternative sentencing, to help mitigate the consequences of a drug crime charge.

Possible Alternatives to a Felony Conviction

• Pretrial Diversion
• Accountability or Drug Courts
• Conditional Discharge
• First Offender Treatment

Defending Against Drug Charges

Being charged with a drug crime in Georgia can have serious consequences, including fines, probation, and even jail time. It is crucial to have a skilled and experienced drug crimes lawyer on your side to defend your rights and achieve the best possible outcome for your case.

At Crawford and Boyle, LLC, our drug crimes lawyer has a proven track record of success in defending clients facing a variety of drug charges. We understand the complexities of drug laws in Georgia and will work tirelessly to build a strong defense strategy tailored to your unique situation.

Our drug crimes defense services include:

• Legal representation in court hearings
• Negotiation with prosecutors for reduced charges or penalties
• Investigation of the circumstances surrounding your arrest
• Expert witness testimony

Don’t face drug charges alone. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discuss your legal options.

Common Defenses Against Drug Crime Charges.

Defending against drug crime charges often involves several common strategies, each tailored to the specifics of the case. Here are some of the most frequently used defenses:

• Unlawful Search and Seizure: The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures. If law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop on your vehicle without articulable suspicion or searched your vehicle without consent or probable cause, any evidence obtained during that search might be inadmissible in court. This exclusionary rule can result in the dismissal of charges if the evidence is crucial to the prosecution’s case.
• Lack of Possession: To secure a conviction for drug possession, the prosecution must prove that the defendant knowingly possessed the controlled substance. If the drugs were found in a shared space, such as a vehicle or a house with multiple occupants, an equal access defense can demonstrate that the drugs did not belong to the defendant and that they had no knowledge of their presence.
• Not your Vehicle: Drugs are often found in vehicles, hidden between seats or left behind by another party.  If you are driving someone else’s vehicle or a rental vehicle, you would have no reason to look in the glove box or trunk, yet the police will charge you anyway.
• Entrapment: Entrapment occurs when law enforcement officers induce a person to commit a crime that they otherwise would not have committed. If the defense can demonstrate that the defendant was coerced or persuaded by the police to engage in illegal activity and that the defendant was not predisposed to commit the crime, this can be a viable defense.
• Chain of Custody Issues: The prosecution must establish a clear and unbroken chain of custody for the drug evidence. If there are gaps or discrepancies in how the evidence was handled, stored, or documented, it can raise doubts about the integrity of the evidence. This might lead to the evidence being excluded from the trial.
• Problems with Testing: All drugs are supposed to be sent to the GBI Crime Lab for testing.  However, due to backlogs and staffing issues, oftentimes the drugs are not tested, or the chemist who tested them no longer works for the GBI.
• Lack of Intent or Knowledge: In some drug cases, especially those involving distribution or trafficking, the prosecution must prove that the defendant had the intent to distribute or sell the drugs. The defense can argue that the defendant lacked this intent or was unaware that the substances were illegal drugs.
• Duress or Coercion: If the defendant committed the alleged drug crime under duress or coercion, meaning they were forced to do so under threat of harm, this can serve as a defense. This often requires convincing evidence of the threats and the absence of reasonable alternatives.
• Violation of Miranda Rights: If the defendant was not properly informed of their Miranda rights (the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney) before being interrogated while in custody, any self-incriminating statements made during the interrogation might be excluded from evidence.
• Mishandling of Evidence: If the prosecution’s evidence was mishandled, contaminated, or otherwise compromised, the defense can argue that it should be deemed unreliable and excluded from the trial. This can occur if the evidence was improperly stored, tampered with, or tested incorrectly.
• Insufficient Evidence: The defense can argue that the prosecution has not met its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. This might involve challenging the credibility of witnesses, the reliability of forensic tests, or the overall sufficiency of the evidence presented.

Contact Our Office Today

Our drug crimes attorneys are former prosecutors with more than 60 combined years of experience. This experience has proven valuable to many of our clients, since our firm has a wider vantage point of the criminal justice system in Georgia. Our lawyers view cases from every angle and use their knowledge of the types of arguments used by prosecutors to develop effective defense strategies for our clients.