Ventura Drug Possession and Sale Law

In Ventura, if you are found with possession of drugs, including but not limited to cocaine, ecstasy, GHB and other illicit substances, you may be found guilty with severe punishment including jail time.

Read more below to learn:

• Ventura Drug Laws
• What the Court Has to Prove in Order to Get a Conviction
• Ways to Defend Against Drug Possession or Sale Charges
• Drug Possession and Sale Penalties
• Real-Life Example for Drug Possession and Drug Sale Arrests and Charges
• Contacting a Drug Possession and Sale Lawyer for Immediate Help

Ventura Drug Laws

In California, drug possession and sale are both considered a misdemeanor all the way to a felony, with strict penalties that will negatively impact your life even after you’ve served your time – and paid off your fines. If you’re facing charges for either of these crimes, here’s what you need to know about the potential consequences of drug possession and sale in Ventura.

Drug laws in California, and especially Ventura County may be a bit complex and exhausting to understand. Fines typically start at $100 and can rocket all the way past thousands of dollars, plus jail time. This is all dependent on what type of drugs were found, if there was an intent to sell and the court’s decision through the verdict.

For specific information on the law and Health and Safety Code 11350, please click here. According to HS 11350, “except as otherwise provided in this division, every person who possesses…any controlled substance…unless upon the written prescription of a physician, dentist, podiatrist, or veterinarian licensed to practice in this state, shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year.”

What Does the Court Have To Prove In Order To Get A Conviction?

For the court to convict you of a drug possession or drug sale crime in Ventura County, prosecutors must prove that you knowingly and intentionally possessed controlled substance(s) or drug paraphernalia.

What does it mean to knowingly possess an illegal substance?

This is when someone can say that they knew what they were doing was illegal and against the law, and still did it anyway. Not all drugs are automatically assumed to be for sale, so if a person is accused of possessing something that has no known street value (like certain vitamins), he or she might have a chance at beating that charge. Therefore, it’s important to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible after your arrest.

Ways to Defend Against Drug Possession or Sale Charges in Ventura County

If you have been charged with drug possession or even drug sale charges, you may be in serious legal trouble. But that doesn’t mean your case is impossible to defend. Knowing what your rights are, especially when it comes to Ventura drug possession and sale law is an important first step in defending yourself against criminal charges. People with a drug record, who think they can defend themselves in court on their own, often find out too late that they were unprepared for what may lie ahead. It absolutely pays to get legal help as soon as you can so you know your rights– before it’s too late. That is why the first step to defense is obtaining proper legal counsel.

Good News for Drug Possession and Sale Charges

Proposition 47, The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, or Prop 47, is a ballot initiative that passed in November 2014. This act reduces penalties for some crimes involving drug possession.

For example, if you were previously charged with felony possession of drugs such as cocaine or heroin and are now charged with misdemeanor possession under Prop 47, you could be eligible to have your case reduced to a misdemeanor charge. However, there are certain factors that will affect whether your case can be reduced to a misdemeanor instead of felony charges being filed against you. For example, if you have prior convictions for felonies involving drugs such as cocaine or heroin, then your case will not be eligible to be reduced to a misdemeanor offense.

Also, if you are currently serving probation for felony possession of drugs, it’s unlikely that your probation officer would agree to reduce your sentence from felony to misdemeanor. In addition, even though most cases involving drug possession can be reduced from felonies to misdemeanors under Prop 47, it’s important to note that selling any illegal drug remains a felony offense regardless of how long ago you committed the crime.

Drug Possession and Sale Penalties

In most cases, charges for drug possession or for sale are classified as a felony offense. This means that if you are convicted of drug possession for sale or even possession, you may serve a year or more behind bars, depending on the verdict. On top of prison time, if you’re convicted on drug charges in Ventura, then you could face additional penalties, including probation, fines, community service hours, and even asset forfeiture.

It is important to contact an experienced Drug Possession and Sale Attorney today to find out how to combat these penalties.

Additionally, if you have prior convictions for drug-related offenses (even from other states), then your punishment is likely to be harsher than someone with no previous criminal history.

Unfortunately, some individuals are wrongly sentenced for drug possession for sale. Police use the following factors to determine whether an individual intends to sell drugs:

• The quantity of drugs
• The way the drugs are packaged
• The presence of measuring devices
• The presence of large amounts of cash
• The presence of client lists or transactions