Illegal Drug Qualifications for Chester County Offenses 

Drugs offenses are treated with a high degree of severity especially by the courts, prosecutors, and those agencies policing those individuals. That is why it is important for individuals who have been charged with a drug offense to speak with a knowledgeable drug attorney. By knowing the illegal drug qualifications for Chester County offenses, a lawyer could begin to build a strong defense and fight for those who have been charged.

Offenses Involving Illegal Substances

Drug offenses involve the sale, possession, and use of controlled substances under the Pennsylvania controlled substance act. These substances include street-level drugs such as cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and/or marijuana and other drugs.

Prescription Drugs

Prescription drugs are drugs that can only be obtained with a proper physician’s treatment and/or prescription. Those drugs, if abused, are also subject to the drug laws in Pennsylvania and in particular Chester County.

Therefore, if an individual sells or distributes a prescription drug to another individual whom the prescription is not for, that individual selling the drugs can be charged with possession with the intent to deliver a felony offense. If a drug meets the illegal drug qualifications for Chester County offenses then an individual will be charged regardless of the legality of the drug itself. Additionally, the individual receiving the prescription drug that is not entitled to it can be charged with possession or knowingly possessing a controlled substance under the Pennsylvania Controlled Substance Act.

Illegal Drug Offenses

Any sort of transferring of drugs, whether it is for monitory reasons or merely the passing of an illegal drug, could result in a felony offense. Additionally, those receiving drugs, depending upon the amount, may also be charged with felony offenses if the drug meets illegal drug qualifications for Chester County offenses. However, in those cases, most are charged with misdemeanor knowingly and intelligently possessing a controlled substance.

These types of actions are subjected to regulation by the state, county, and local municipalities as well as federal municipalities. Therefore, an individual who is the subject of a narcotics transaction and/or narcotics investigation faces significant time in jail, significant fines of all court levels as well as penalties far beyond those of a regular case. Additionally, under certain statutes, a person may possess an amount of prescription drugs only if rightfully prescribed. Other than that, there are simply no exceptions to the drug offenses and how they are handled in the county of Chester, Pennsylvania.

The Severity of Drug Offense Penalties in Chester County Depending on Drug Schedule

In Chester County, as well as the rest of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, drugs and/or narcotics offenses are penalized based on quantity, weight, schedule, and type of drug. Street level drugs such as cocaine, crack cocaine, and heroine are often subject to much higher and harsher sentences because of the impact on society that they may have.

Therefore, when an individual is charged with possessing, with the intent to deliver street-level drugs and the amount is an excess of one gram, an individual’s penalties can raise as high as 15 years and a $250,000 fine for even a first offense. Additionally, if an individual is charged with prescription drugs in Chester County, Pennsylvania, the weights applied more than the quantity that is, even a small amount of prescription drugs can often weigh much more than a street-level drug which raises the penalties as well. If an individual faces penalties for a drug offense or wants to know more about illegal drug qualifications for Chester County offenses, they should consult a seasoned drug lawyer that could answer their questions and fight for them.