Bellingham Criminal Attorneys: Your Defense Against Drug Crime Charges
Drug-related arrests are among the most common nationwide, and it’s no different in Bellingham. If you find yourself fending off drug charges, you might be worried about your future. It can affect your employability as well as your ability to qualify for federal financial aid for college, which is why you need a team of Bellingham drug attorneys by your side as soon as charges are filed against you.
These charges should be taken seriously. Even possession of marijuana as a minor can have long-lasting impacts on your life, despite cannabis being decriminalized in Washington.
Drug charges can include common controlled substances such as opioids, fentanyl, meth, heroin, and prescription medications that were not given to you by a doctor.
Regardless of what your drug crime charges are, you shouldn’t try to navigate the legal system alone. You need the team of Bellingham drug attorneys at Washington Criminal Attorneys, PLLC, to help. We craft excellent defenses against all kinds of drug crimes, helping you remain informed and minimizing the impact this charge has on your life.
What Washington State Says About Drug Crimes
RCW 69.50.401 notes: “Except as authorized by this chapter, it is unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver, a controlled substance.”
According to Chapter 69.50 of the RCW (Uniform Controlled Substances Act), “Controlled substance” means a drug, substance, or immediate precursor included in Schedules I through V as set forth in federal or state laws or federal or commission rules, but does not include hemp or industrial hemp as defined in RCW 15.140.020.
In other words, you cannot have, make, or sell controlled substances (illegal drugs) in Washington. Severe penalties can be imposed if you are caught and convicted of Violations of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act (VUCSA).
While Washington prosecutors file charges for crimes every day, the state’s judicial system also sees substance abuse as a symptom of a more systemic problem. For this reason, several programs, such as diversion programs and behavioral health supports, exist and can be accessed through the legal system in Bellingham.
Many drug crimes in Bellingham are processed through the Whatcom County Therapeutic Courts. The Adult Recovery Court, hosted in Bellingham, focuses on adults facing criminal charges while concurrently living with a substance use disorder.
By providing intensive case management services and access to critical resources like behavioral health providers, assistance gaining employment, and recovery-supportive housing, this program integrates treatment for substance abuse with the justice system.
Our Bellingham Drug Attorneys Protect Your Rights in Court
Our passionate Bellingham drug attorneys are here to protect your rights, including your right to confront and call witnesses and to have a lawyer present. When you retain us, you know you’re getting the best legal knowledge, advice, and defenses possible. We fight endlessly to protect your rights to due process.
Strategies Our Bellingham Drug Attorneys Use to Fight Drug Charges
Part of ensuring you receive a fair trial is having a right to a defense attorney. Our Bellingham drug attorneys utilize several strategies to defend you, including:
- Challenging the evidence if it’s not admissible in court or was obtained illegally
- Finding weaknesses, holes, or inconsistencies in the prosecution’s case that make it impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you committed the crime.
- Prove entrapment which occurs when law enforcement officials coerce the defendant to commit a crime they otherwise wouldn’t have.
- Lack of knowledge might apply as a defense if someone else planted drugs on you if you thought the drugs were something else or you didn’t know the drugs were illegal.
Types of Drug Charges in Bellingham
Drug charges encompass any sort of crime in which drugs or drug paraphernalia are possessed, used, sold, or manufactured.
Possession vs. Distribution Drug Charges in Bellingham
Drug charges in Bellingham typically fall into one of two categories: possession or distribution.
Being charged with possession means that you have a controlled substance without a prescription. You don’t have to use it, sell it, or intend to sell it. It’s enough to have it on you. If someone is charged with distribution, they are accused of giving the drugs to someone else, typically by selling them.
Consequences of Drug Charges in Bellingham
The consequences depend on several factors, including:
- Type and schedule classification of the drug
- Quantity of the drug
- Whether possession was for personal use or to distribute
- Your criminal history
- If weapons were involved
- The amount of money involved, if it supports the claim that you are distributing
If convicted of a drug charge in Bellingham or Whatcom County, you may face court-ordered incarceration, heavy fines, or probation. Any convictions will be a black mark on your permanent criminal record, which can have lifelong consequences, including impacting employment and disqualifying the individual from receiving state or federal student loans.
Defending Against Drug and VUCSA Charges in Bellingham
Even if the evidence seems stacked against you, you can defend against drug and VUCSA charges in Bellingham. Our team does it regularly, negotiating more favorable outcomes for our clients.
How Our Bellingham Drug Attorneys Defend Against VUCSA Charges
Our Bellingham drug attorneys are your best resource if you’re facing drug charges. We:
- Ensure your constitutional rights are protected at every step of the legal process
- Help you understand the accusations, how they can affect your future, and what potential sentencing may look like
- Investigate and craft legal defenses
- Negotiate plea bargains to reduce sentencing and charges
Washington’s Sentencing Alternatives for Drug Crimes
We’re no stranger to fighting drug charges, including possession of meth, cocaine, and other substances. Beyond plea bargaining and fighting the charges in court, we can argue for sentencing alternatives that Washington courts make available to avoid incarceration.
- Diversion Programs: Diversion programs exist to help individuals with repeated, low-level offenses break the cycle of drug use. Washington has two diversion programs for those who have already been arrested: the Prosecutorial Diversion Program and the Diversion Navigator Program. Participants in these programs gain access to numerous intensive behavioral health resources to prevent them from repeating their offenses in the future.
- First-Time Offender Waiver: Some drug crimes may qualify for a first-time offender waiver, which can provide more lenient sentencing. According to RCW 9.94A.650, drug crimes where an individual doesn’t engage in the “Manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance classified in Schedule I or II that is a narcotic drug or flunitrazepam classified in Schedule IV ” may be offset with a first-time offender waiver. However, you must never have been previously convicted of a felony or participated in a deferred prosecution for a felony.
Need Help With Drug Crime Charges in Whatcom County? Call Our Bellingham Drug Attorneys Now
Don’t hesitate to call us if you’re charged with a drug-related crime in Bellingham or Whatcom County. Our Bellingham drug attorneys know how serious these accusations are and what’s on the line if you are convicted.
As one of Washington’s most recognized law firms with a presence across the Greater Puget Sound region, we’ve garnered a reputation for our robust legal defenses. Reach out today for your free initial consultation and case evaluation and learn how our Washington State criminal defense team can help in your criminal drug case.
