The state of Virginia is tough on drugs. Police officers and prosecutors take a strong stance, and anyone caught with illegal narcotics, drug paraphernalia, or drug manufacturing materials could face harsh legal consequences. If convicted, you could potentially face time in prison and a fine. In addition, with a criminal conviction, you could find it hard to apply for new jobs, obtain an educational loan, or obtain a housing loan. You might also find it difficult to maintain your professional and personal relationships with a drug-related conviction on your record.
Fortunately, a Chesapeake drug paraphernalia lawyer can assist you. Our dedicated drug attorneys at Parks Zeigler, PLLC, can aggressively fight to defend your rights.
What Constitutes Drug Paraphernalia?
According to Virginia Code § 54.1-3466, possession or distribution of controlled paraphernalia is illegal. The term drug paraphernalia refers to any instruments, tools, or devices that someone could use to ingest, inhale, inject, or otherwise take or administer a controlled substance. However, depending on the individual facts and context, many regular household products that have legitimate uses, such as utensils and devices, can have alternate uses to make, store, or administer drugs.
The most common types of drug paraphernalia are as follows:
- Pipes
- Spoons
- Syringes
- Plastic bags, envelopes, balloons, and other containers to transport narcotics
- Scales to weigh drugs for both production and sale
Skilled attorneys from Chesapeake have successfully helped people facing charges for possessing a wide range of different drug paraphernalia.
Possible Penalties for Drug Paraphernalia Offenses
Local courts treat possession of drug paraphernalia as a Class 1 misdemeanor offense, which is the most serious type of misdemeanor offense. If convicted, a defendant could face up to one year in jail as well as a fine of up to $2,500.
Virginia Code § 18.2-265.3 outlines the possible penalties for selling drug paraphernalia. If someone is convicted of selling or possessing with the intent to sell drug paraphernalia, they also face Class 1 misdemeanor charges. However, if they sell the drug paraphernalia to a minor who is three or more years younger than them, they could face a more serious Class 6 felony charge.
Our experienced Chesapeake attorneys can review the charges and explain the potential legal penalties a defendant could face if convicted on any drug paraphernalia charges.
Possible Defenses to Drug Paraphernalia Offenses
Some of the potentially successful legal defense strategies could be as follows:
- Constitutional violations, such as the police conducted an unlawful search and seizure of the drugs and drug paraphernalia or the defendant did not get the chance to contact a lawyer before making a forced or coerced confession
- No intent to use the object for drug purposes, such as there was a legitimate use for the defendant to possess the objects in question
- Someone else possesses the paraphernalia, such as a roommate
- Authorized possession – Some people, such as doctors and pharmacists, are legally allowed to have possession of certain types of drug paraphernalia.
A determined Chesapeake lawyer can investigate the facts of a case to look for the best possible legal strategies against paraphernalia and narcotic charges.
Call a Chesapeake Drug Paraphernalia Attorney
Facing any type of criminal charge can be both scary and overwhelming. A knowledgeable and seasoned Chesapeake drug paraphernalia lawyer from Parks Zeigler, PLLC, can help. They can aggressively fight the charges and help you fight for your future.
Call the law office today to discuss your situation in a preliminary consultation.
