Arizona Drug Crimes

Arizona Drug Crimes – What are the punishments? Today’s guest blog is by Powers Law, P.C in West Islip, NY.

Punishments for drug crimes in Arizona can vary, depending on a number of factors, namely the illegal substance in possession, the amount of said substance, the person’s previous criminal record, more specifically their record of drug-related crimes.

Arizona Drug Crimes

Those convicted of drug crimes in Arizona can be penalized heavily with jail time, probation and fines which can reach up to $150,000 for drug charges for individuals and $1,000,000 for drug charges for enterprises.

Illegal substances and their classifications

Possession charges carry different punishments depending on the drug that the person is being charged with possessing.

Possession of marijuana can be charged as a misdemeanor, but it is most often charged as a class 6 Felony offense. A class 6 Felony offense is punishable by up to 2 years in prison.

Possession of narcotic drugs is considered a class 4 Felony offense in Phoenix. There are many different drugs that may be classified as a narcotic drug in Arizona, including cocaine, crack, heroin and prescription drugs. A class 4 Felony offense is punishable by up to 3.75 years in prison.

Possession of dangerous drugs is also classified as a class 4 Felony offense. Dangerous Drugs include a variety of different drugs such as Methamphetamine, PCP, Ecstasy, Mushrooms, and LSD. A class 4 felony is punishable by up to 3.75 years in prison.

Arizona Drug Crimes

Charges for single offenses

For a possession for personal use charge, the court generally gives probation to first-time offenders. Completing a drug treatment or education program is one of the probation conditions, and the court requires defendants to bear the cost of the program to the extent that they are financially capable of doing so. Probation is also common for second-time offenders, but the court may make incarceration a condition of probation. Various other circumstances affect whether the court imposes incarceration for these offenses or not.

The more serious offenses of distribution, transportation, etc., are class 2 felonies with maximum sentences of several years in prison if they involve narcotics, a listed “dangerous drug,” or more than 2 pounds of marijuana. Methamphetamine is singled out for an even higher maximum penalty.

Charges for multiple offenses

Most drug charges in Arizona involve multiple offenses. This means that the defendant is accused of several illegal acts based on the same event. For example, possession of a drug combined with possession of drug paraphernalia, or both transportation for sale and the actual sale. For multiple offense cases, Arizona provides a comprehensive scheme based on whether it is the first, second, or third and higher offense, and whether the quantity of drugs exceeds the statutory threshold amount.

The penalties cover a broad range even for the same offense. For example, a class 2 felony that is a second offense involves a quantity below the threshold amount, and the presence of other mitigating factors draws a 3-year sentence. If the class 2 felony is a third-time or higher offense, involves drug quantities above the threshold amount, and other aggravating factors, then it draws a 15-year sentence.

Arizona Drug Crimes

Author Bio:

Competent attorneys at Powers Law, P.C provide strong representation for family law, commercial litigation, and real estate cases.