As a fast-growing city in central Florida, many people enjoy living in Clermont. With its many lakes and hills, it is a beautiful place to spend time in, whether it involves a day of leisure alongside Lake Louisa or shopping in the downtown historic village.
Unfortunately, like other cities in the region, Clermont has recently experienced problems with drugs – and specifically, fentanyl. To fight that problem, local area law enforcement officials take drug crimes very seriously, which is why anyone who is arrested should contact a local drug defense attorney immediately.
When you are facing an accusation that you possessed or sold fentanyl, you could face harsh legal consequences. A Clermont fentanyl lawyer could help you review your legal options.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid analgesic, which has significantly more powerful effects than morphine. Because the drug is mixed with heroin and other highly addictive street drugs, there is a high risk of abuse and it has very little medicinal value. People can overdose easily and might not even know they have taken the drug.
Because of the high risk of danger to the public, the consequences for possessing and distributing fentanyl are harsh at both the federal and state levels.
Defendants in Clermont can face different types of fentanyl charges. The charge will be determined by what the police find in the person’s possession at the time of arrest, and how much of it they find.
People can face charges for possessing illicit drugs like fentanyl. Possession charges can involve cases where police officers find the drugs physically on the person, such as in their purse which they are carrying, on their lap in a car, or in their back pocket. In these cases, the drugs might have been in plain view of the arresting officer. Criminal charges can also follow situations where a defendant has drugs hidden somewhere in their house, such as in a box in the closet. In these cases, to gain access to the drugs, the police would have had to obtain a valid search warrant to search the premises to find the drugs.
If a defendant has more than a small amount of a drug, or if they had the drug split up into individual packages, police officers might assume they intend to sell it or traffic it, which could bring harsher penalties. If the police catch someone in the act of selling fentanyl, they could face even more serious charges. Often, defendants face drug charges after undercover agents catch them in sting operations.
Experienced Clermont attorneys could explain how a fentanyl charge works and help devise effective defense strategies.
Charges relating to fentanyl generally vary based on the amount of drug found in the accused’s possession. If the defendant has less than 4 grams of fentanyl in their possession, they could face possession charges, which could involve a prison sentence of up to five years as well as up to a $5,000 fine. If the defendant has any more than 4 grams of fentanyl, the prosecutor could upgrade the charges to drug trafficking, and the prison time and potential fines would substantially increase.
In addition, if someone dies from fentanyl use, the person who sold them the drug could face homicide charges.
A Clermont attorney knows how to aggressively defend against all types of drug charges. The legal team could review the evidence and work towards the best possible outcome. If the evidence is too strong to get an outright dismissal of the charges or acquittal at charges, they might be able to negotiate to reduce the charges.
It may be possible to argue the defendant did not know the drugs were in their possession, that the fentanyl was never going to be sold or trafficked, or that a police sting involved coercion or entrapment.
A conviction on drug charges could send you to prison for years and have a damaging effect on your reputation and standing in your community. If you are facing fentanyl charges, you need to work with a trustworthy criminal defense lawyer who knows how to help you.
Contact a Clermont fentanyl lawyer who has experience fighting drug charges. Let us put our best efforts into helping you move forward with your life by protecting your interests and defending your rights.
The Umansky Law Firm Criminal Defense & Injury Attorneys
