Common Drug Offenses in Bucks County
There are several common drug offenses in Bucks County. The most common drug crimes involve illegal substances found on the street-level. A person can face serious penalties if there are heightened charges for creating or transferring drugs. These cases often involve misdemeanor crimes which can be diverted, with the right help of the right drug lawyer in Bucks County, to a program which protects a person’s freedom and even record, thereby diverting a criminal case.
If a person is facing a drug charge, they should consult a local illegal substance lawyer who can help them develop a defense strategy. They can help you determine the best course of action.
Common Offenses
Bucks County, like the entire state of Pennsylvania, sees many drug crimes throughout any given year. The most common drug offenses in Bucks County involve the personal use of a street-level illegal substance: cocaine, heroin, LSD, marijuana, or the abuse of prescription drugs even though an individual may have obtained them lawfully by prescription.
Felony Charges
In cases involving either street-level drugs or prescription drugs manufactured or possessed by individuals not authorized to create, manufacture, or transfer them. In those cases, much more serious penalties come into play and felony charges are in the works. A felony can be charged for every instance to sell that an officer perceives or a confidential informant participates in.
In all of these cases, it is much more difficult to divert case through alternative programs because with the situation involves dealers and not users. In some cases, with the right lawyer and the right circumstances, even a dealer can be depicted as a user in supporting their habit, and thus their record can be protected.
Types of Drug-Related Crimes
The type of drug-related crimes that are most common in Bucks County involve the illegal use of either street-level controlled substances or prescription controlled substances. Bucks County is a very affluent county in a suburb of the city and county of Philadelphia. Individuals generally have the access to funds in monetary value so they have the ability to purchase such narcotics, thus using them. Bucks County sees a lot of the overflow from surrounding counties and because their citizens generally have the means to purchase such drugs, the possession, and usage of such control substances are the most common in the entire country.
Current Opiate Crisis
The most common drug offenses in Bucks County is the current target of thousands of hours of investigation and millions of dollars in resources involve the current opiate crisis.
Individuals often seek the drug of heroin and that drug is often laced with another substance known as Fentanyl, and because of this additive, a large number of individuals are unable to digest the drug and thus can be killed simply by its usage. Their focus is to try to rein in the heroin manufacturer and/or heroin dealer and control the locations at which the drugs are being sold. Law enforcement, special prosecutors, and the attorney general’s office all have narcotics units focused on thwarting the heroin epidemic.
Other Crimes Linked to Drug Usage
Drug usage, while often charged as a misdemeanor, can also lead to other types of crimes that have a negative effect on society. DUIs, retail thefts, theft from motor vehicles, receiving stolen property, and assault are among the top of the list of crimes that often have some sort of association with drug usage. Domestic violence issues come into play also, as well as crimes against elderly and/or children. It is not a defense to any crime that someone was under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol at the time of committing them. Thus, public intoxication, whether it be by alcohol and/or drugs, is never a defense. An individual is responsible for their actions regardless of the circumstances and whether or not they were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Therefore, drugs are targeted in Bucks County in the hopes of reining in other crimes.
