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From Ames to Des Moines, Across the Entire State, Vogel Law, PLLC, Will Defend You

Have prosecutors charged you with a drug offense? Even a charge of simple possession can have significant consequences for your reputation and future. Furthermore, prosecutors will aggressively pursue convictions for many drug crimes. As a result, you need dedicated legal representation that will work just as hard to protect your interests.

An Iowa criminal defense lawyer can help you seek a favorable resolution to your charges. Don’t leave the outcome of your prosecution to chance. Contact Vogel Law, PLLC, for an initial case evaluation with a drug crime defense attorney to learn how our firm will fight to obtain the best possible outcome for your charges under the circumstances.

Why Choose Our Drug Defense Firm?

Being arrested for a drug offense can put your reputation, freedom, and future in jeopardy. The authorities treat drug crimes seriously, so you need a drug defense lawyer who can level the playing field and help you stand up for your rights and interests. Choose an attorney from Vogel Law, PLLC, to help you seek a favorable resolution to a drug prosecution because:

  • We spend time with each client to hear their story and understand their needs, concerns, and goals. Our firm has extensive experience defending individuals facing all kinds of drug charges, ranging from simple possession to serious felony offenses involving trafficking or manufacturing.
  • We provide honest, straightforward legal advice that helps you understand your charges and the potential outcomes of your case so you can make informed decisions about how to move forward. Our firm will review any plea deals offered by the prosecution to evaluate whether they provide the best possible outcome for you. However, we won’t hesitate to take your case to trial to defend your innocence or fight for a better resolution to your charges.
  • When you face prosecution for a drug offense due to addiction issues, we will leverage our extensive knowledge of available treatment programs and alternative options that can help you avoid the harshest consequences of an arrest or conviction and get a second chance.

Types of Drug Cases We Handle

At Vogel Law, PLLC, we represent individuals facing prosecution for drug offenses such as:

  • Simple possession (possession of drugs for personal consumption)
  • Possession with intent to deliver (possessing drugs for sale)
  • Drug distribution
  • Drug trafficking
  • Illegal drug manufacturing
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia (items designed or intended for the manufacturing, cultivation, packaging, or consumption of drugs)
  • Marijuana offenses, including second and subsequent possession offenses, illegal cultivation of marijuana, and unauthorized distribution of marijuana
  • Prescription drug crimes, including illegal distribution, possession of substantial quantities of prescription drugs, forging prescriptions, and prescription fraud

Consequences of a Drug Conviction

A drug conviction can impose various penalties depending on the specific offense and the quantity of drugs involved. Examples of sentences that may result from drug convictions include:

  • Drug Manufacturing, Large Quantity – Up to 50 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million
  • Drug Manufacturing, Small Quantity – Up to 25 years in prison and a fine of $5,000 to $100,000
  • Drug Manufacturing, Smaller Quantity – Up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $1,000 to $50,000
  • Possession of 50 Kilos or Less of Marijuana – Up to five years in prison and a fine of $1,025 to $10,245
  • Possession of Schedule IV and V Drugs – Up to two years in jail and a fine of $855 to $8,450
  • Possession with Intent to Manufacture – Up to five years in prison and a fine of $1,025 to $10,245
  • Unlawful Possession – 48 hours to six months (marijuana) or one year (all other controlled substances), and a fine of up to $1,000 for marijuana or $430 to $2,560 for other controlled substances
  • Unlawful Possession, Second Offense – 48 hours to one year (marijuana) or two years (all other controlled substances), and a fine of $430 to $2,560 for marijuana or $855 to $8,540 for other controlled substances
  • Unlawful Possession, Third or Subsequent Offense – 48 hours to two years (marijuana) or five years (all other controlled substances), and a fine of $855 to $8,540 for marijuana or $1,025 to $10,245 for other controlled substances

Drug convictions can have other long-term collateral consequences, such as:

  • Loss of firearm privileges following felony convictions
  • Disqualification from various state and federal government benefits
  • Forfeiture of profits from illegal drug manufacturing or distribution

A conviction will also result in a criminal record that can make it more challenging to pursue employment, housing, or educational opportunities because of the stigma that comes with a drug offense. Given the consequences that a drug conviction can have for your freedom, reputation, and future, you need experienced legal representation to pursue a more favorable outcome to your charges.

Defense Strategies for Drug Charges

A person charged with a drug offense may pursue various defenses against the prosecution’s case. Examples of defenses used in drug cases include:

  • Lack of Possession – A defendant may argue that the prosecution’s case fails to prove that the defendant had actual or constructive possession of the illegal drugs.
  • Lack of Intent – Defendants charged with drug offenses that require a certain degree of criminal intent may contend that the prosecution’s case does not prove that they acted with the necessary degree of criminal intent (such as intent to distribute drugs, which can reduce a charge from a more serious possession with intent to distribute to a simple possession offense).
  • Lawful Possession – A defendant may present a valid prescription to prove they lawfully possessed a controlled substance.
  • Lack of Laboratory Testing – Defendants may highlight the prosecution’s failure to test a seized substance to prove that it is a controlled substance.
  • Unlawful Search or Interrogation by Police ­– A defendant may seek to exclude evidence of drugs or incriminating statements by arguing that police conducted a search without a warrant or probable cause and exigent circumstances or conducted a custodial interrogation that violated the defendant’s constitutional rights.

How Can a Lawyer Help You Face a Drug Case?

Prosecutors vigorously pursue drug cases due to the seriousness of these offenses. As a result, hiring legal counsel can level the playing field and allow you to stand up for your rights, reputation, and future. A criminal defense attorney from Vogel Law, PLLC, can help you face charges for a drug offense by:

  • Thoroughly investigating your case to obtain all available evidence, knowing that police and prosecutors might not look for evidence that can help your case
  • Reviewing the facts and evidence to identify potential legal strategies we can pursue to contest your charges
  • Discussing the details of your charges and the potential outcomes of your case to help you make informed decisions about how to proceed and face prosecution
  • Vigorously contesting the prosecution’s case, including filing motions to exclude evidence unlawfully obtained by law enforcement
  • Fighting hard to get you the best possible resolution to your charges, even when that means taking your case to trial

Contact Us Today for Legal Support and Advocacy

If you’ve been arrested by Iowa law enforcement in connection with a drug crime, get legal help from an experienced lawyer to protect your rights and interests. Contact Vogel Law, PLLC, today for a confidential consultation with a criminal defense attorney to discuss your options for seeking a favorable outcome to your drug charges.

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