If you have been arrested for drug possession in St. Louis, it’s necessary to act quickly and take the necessary steps to protect your future. As any St. Louis drug lawyer can tell you, possession of controlled dangerous substances (CDS) carries serious penalties in Missouri and a conviction can have serious, lifelong consequences.
Drug Possession Laws in Missouri
Under Missouri’s Comprehensive Drug Control Act, controlled substances are placed in five different schedules – I to V. Substances that do not have any medical use and are highly addictive in nature are placed in Schedule I and substances that have legitimate medical use and are less likely to lead to addiction and abuse are placed in Schedule V.
With the exception of marijuana, the possession of any other controlled substance will typically result in a felony charge in Missouri. If convicted, you not only have to pay thousands of dollars in fines and serve time in prison, but the social stigma associated with a felony conviction can make it hard for you to lead a normal life ever again.
This is why it is critical to seek legal guidance from an experienced St. Louis drug lawyer while facing charges of drug possession in Missouri.
How a St. Louis Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help You
Many people believe that there is not much they can do if they have been charged with drug possession in Missouri. This is not true at all. As any St. Louis drug lawyer can tell you, even if the police caught you with a controlled substance, they can secure a conviction only if they manage to prove the following things.
- You were in actual possession (on your person) or constructive possession (within your reach or in a place that you have access to) of the controlled substance.
- You knew that the substance in question was there (on your person or at the place where it was found).
- You knew about the nature of the substance in question.
Depending on the circumstances that led to your arrest, your St. Louis drug lawyer might be able to make the argument that you had no knowledge of the presence of the controlled substance in question.
For example, if you get pulled over by cops while driving your friend’s car, and if they find controlled substances in the car, they might still charge you with drug possession. In this scenario, however, your lawyer can argue that you had no reason to suspect that the car might contain controlled substances and get the charges against you dismissed.
If, on the other hand, you have an addiction problem, your attorney might be able to work the prosecution and help you avoid imprisonment by getting you into the drug court program or a sentence in suspension (SIS) program.
Looking for a Reliable St. Louis Drug Lawyer to Defend You
At Miller & Hine, we know that getting convicted in a drug-related case can have lifelong consequences. It is why we take every drug-related case – whether it is a misdemeanor or a felony – very seriously and work hard to help our clients achieve the best possible outcome under the law.
Call our firm today at (314) 413-2053 or drop us a message online for a free review of your case (over the phone or in person).