A 25-year-old man faces possession, sale, and transportation charges after Los Angeles County officials allegedly found $52,000 worth of cocaine and methamphetamine in his vehicle. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Times, the man was pulled over near Canyon Country Road and the 14 Freeway. Officials claim that they saw indications of narcotics activity and used a drug-sniffing dog to search for the drugs. Hidden in the car was more than two pounds of cocaine and about a pound of methamphetamine. The man is being held without bail.
There are legal options for individuals charged with simple drug possession to avoid jail time through rehabilitation services and other alternative sentencing options. When these charges are increased to selling or transporting charges, the charges and potential penalties can increase substantially.
According to the California Health and Safety Code 11352 HS, “Every person who transports, imports into this state, sells, furnishes, administers, or gives away, or offers to transport, import into this state, sell, furnish, administer, or give away, or attempts to import into this state or transport (1) any controlled substance” shall be punished by imprisonment.
There are serious consequences for transporting or possessing narcotics for sale in California. It is common for individuals convicted of these types of drug charges to face several years of incarceration. It is important for anyone charged with the transportation of drugs to contact an experienced drug crime defense attorney before discussing the specifics of their case with the authorities.
The skilled Los Angeles County drug crime defense lawyers at Sitkoff & Hanrahan know how to investigate the validity of a search and seizure, how to fight wrongful charges, and how to help individuals facing drug charges avoid unnecessarily harsh punishment. If you or a loved one has been charged with a drug related offense in Los Angeles, please call our offices at (866) 430-8383 for a free and comprehensive consultation.