Caught With A Friend’s Drugs? You Need A Strong Defense

When you were driving your friend home, you noticed that they had several bags of different medications or substances with them. You asked what it was, thinking that it was unusual. They said it was for their chemistry class at school, so you didn’t think anything was wrong with it.

When they got out of your vehicle, they must have left one behind. On your way home, you were stopped for speeding, and an officer noticed the bag of white, dusty material on your passenger seat floor. Long story short, you ended up being arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine.

How serious is a charge for carrying cocaine in New York?

Getting caught with cocaine is a big deal, and it can land you in prison. New York has some of the toughest drug laws in the country. Possessing 500 milligrams or more of cocaine can result in Class D felony charges. Possessing with the intent to sell may result in Class B felony charges.

Fortunately, mandatory minimum laws were removed in 2009, so judges are able to determine sentences at their discretion. Still, since this wasn’t yours, you will want to build a strong defense and show that you were with a passenger prior to your traffic stop. Additionally, testing may show that the “drug” was not what the officer thought it was.

Your attorney can take multiple angles to work on your case and prove your innocence. Even if that’s not possible, it may be possible to reduce the charges against you or to negotiate a reasonable solution to the problem so that you don’t face time in prison.