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DC Cocaine Distribution Lawyer

Prosecutors in DC are focused on trying to stop the drug trade. Because of this, they prosecute the distribution of cocaine harshly and look to discourage the practice by implementing serious penalties. If you are facing these allegations, it is important to consult a DC cocaine distribution lawyer.

A well-versed drug lawyer can work to understand your specific circumstances and create a defense tailored to those circumstances. With their help, you may be able to work towards a more positive outcome.

Is Cocaine Distribution a Priority for DC Police?

Police in Washington, DC vigorously investigate and arrest individuals on distribution and possession with intent to distribute charges. Possession with intent to distribute is most commonly seen in situations where police conduct a search of a person’s body, vehicle, or home and find an amount of cocaine they believe is consistent with the intent to distribute. These searches can occur through search warrants of a person’s home or can be the result of traffic stops.

In contrast, cocaine distribution charges often arise as a result of undercover operations by police officers. A police officer posing as a buyer may approach someone they are investigating to purchase cocaine using pre-marked currency. The undercover officers then signal to other officers to make the arrest. The hope is to find the pre-marked currency on that individual so they can prove that the person sold the cocaine.

Penalties for These Offenses

Distribution of cocaine is a felony-level drug charge that is similar to possession with intent to distribute but requires different evidence to prove the charge. This is because possession with intent to distribute is an intent-based crime, meaning it does not require prosecutors to prove the accused took any action aside from possessing the cocaine. On the other hand, distribution requires prosecutors to prove a person transferred or attempted to transfer cocaine to another person.

Distribution and intent to distribute charges carry the same maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $75,000. One is not necessarily considered more serious than the other. However, some factors could make either distribution charge or possession with intent to distribute charges more serious. For example, larger volumes of cocaine may result in a person’s facing federal drug trafficking charges that carry more serious penalties than charges that prosecuted in DC Superior Court. Further, when someone is allegedly distributing or possessing with intent to distribute cocaine in a drug-free zone such as a school, that person faces double the possible maximum prison sentence and double the possible maximum fine.

How Addiction Can Impact Sentencing

Prosecutors frequently see cocaine distribution as serious crimes of people profiting off others’ addictions and therefore treat them harshly. However, this is not necessarily a correct perception. Some people suffering from their own drug addictions may need to resort to distributing cocaine to be to support their addictions. These are people in desperate circumstances who could benefit from treatment, job training, or mental health treatment rather than harsh prison sentences.

Defense attorneys can and should work to understand the person’s history, their personal circumstances, and any history of addiction to argue for sentencing leniency. They may then be able to argue for alternative prosecution with prosecutors. A DC cocaine distribution lawyer can further explain what options may be available based on a person’s specific circumstances.

Get Help from a DC Cocaine Distribution Attorney

Even if you never distribute cocaine to another, you can still face years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines. Therefore, it is important to start fighting these allegations as soon as possible. A dedicated DC cocaine distribution attorney can help you fight the charges you are facing and advocate for your rights throughout the legal process. To learn more, call today for a free consultation.