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Maryland Cocaine Laws

Annapolis MD Cocaine Crime Defense Lawyers

Drug charges, whether they are misdemeanors or felonies, are very serious and will impact your life on several levels. Cocaine, in both powdered form and as crack, is a serious drug threat today and one of the state’s most heavily trafficked illegal drugs in the Baltimore, Maryland area. Maryland has battled cocaine trafficking on its streets for years. Primarily due to the increased violence surrounding cocaine distribution and use, Maryland authorities crack down heavily on both sale and possession of cocaine. Below is a brief summary of Maryland cocaine laws.

If you are facing criminal charges related to cocaine possession, cocaine sale or cocaine trafficking in the Annapolis, Columbia, Ellicott City, Towson, Bel Air or Essex, Maryland areas you need the help of an experienced Towson cocaine possession defense attorney. Please call Towson Criminal Defense Attorney John G. Turnbull III to discuss your rights and how to protect them.

Maryland Cocaine Laws

Cocaine possession, sale, and trafficking are felonies in nearly every state. Possession of a small amount of the drug can lead to serious penalties in Maryland. Like cocaine laws in other states, Maryland’s statutes increase in severity and punishment with multiple offenses.

The charges and penalties under Maryland’s cocaine laws are listed below.

Code Section Art. 27 §§276, et seq.
Possession Misdemeanor with penalty of up to 4 yrs. and/or $25,000; Bringing 28 g. into state: felony with penalty of up to $50,000 and/or 25 yrs.; Subsequent offense: double penalties
Sale Felony with penalty of 20 yrs. and/or $25,000; Sale of more than 448 g. or 50 g. of crack: not less than 40 yrs.; Subsequent offense: double penalties; 2 yrs. mandatory, not less than 10 yr. sentence; Third offense: not less than 40 yrs. Sale to minors or near school property: stricter penalties
Trafficking If “drug kingpin” 20-40 yrs. and/or $1,000,000 fine

There are Maryland state statutes as well as federal laws on the books. Federal drug laws prohibit simple cocaine possession along with manufacturing and cultivation and trafficking and distribution. As seen above, penalties for cocaine possession or sale can be severe and generally vary depending on whether you have prior drug convictions and the quantity of drugs involved.

In some cases, prosecutors can offer a plea bargain to a lower-level offender in exchange for helping to build a case against higher-level producers and dealers. In addition, some jurisdictions have recently created specialized “drug courts” that allow first or second-time drug crime defendants to spend time in treatment in lieu of a jail sentence.

Maryland Drug Court Programs

The state of Maryland, like most states, have specialty courts for several different types of crimes. Drug treatment courts are specialized court dockets that can help criminal defendants and offenders, juvenile offenders, and parents with pending child welfare cases who have alcohol, DUI, DWI and other drug dependency problems. To discuss your case and learn more about how our team of Bel Air Maryland DUI defense lawyers & Towson MD drug crime defense attorneys can help you contact us today.

Traditional Court vs. Drug Court

The premise behind Maryland’s specialty court programs is to help those struggling with alcoholism, drug addiction and mental health issues. They are ‘in lieu of jail’ programs and are not for everyone facing DUI or drug charges. If you feel you have a problem with alcohol or drugs MD’s specialty courts may be for you. Speaking with our Bel Air MD criminal defense attorneys behooves you as they have helped many people in Maryland get accepted into these programs as well as getting their lives back on track.

Some of the differences between drug courts and conventional courts are:

  • Individuals representing entities within the criminal justice system to achieve the goal
  • Adversarial
  • Goal = “Legal Justice”
  • Court has limited role in supervision of defendant
  • Treatment programs of variable lengths and intensity
  • Relapse = New crime or violation of probation = Enhanced sentence
  • Court team working together to achieve the goal
  • Non adversarial
  • Goal = Restore defendant as a productive, non-criminal member of society
  • Court plays integral role in monitoring defendant’s progress in treatment
  • Individualized, but intensive and structured, treatment programs
  • Graduated sanctions imposed in response to noncompliance with drug court program

The most unique and important characteristics of drug court programs is the cohesive relationship formed between you, the drug court team members & the drug court judge. Collaboration begins during the early planning stage and continues throughout the operations of drug court. All major decision points, from screening criteria and eligibility requirements to termination an completion of the program, result from collaborative agreements among drug court team members. The court, through the designated drug court judge, provides the overall leadership of the team and represents the court authority to the drug court participants.

Let our team of Towson Maryland drug possession defense lawyers explain your rights to you. They will help you decide if drug court is a good fit for you. From there they will do everything in their power to help you gain acceptance into the program. Dial (410) 321-8860 for a free consultation.

How Bail Works When Facing MD Cocaine Crime Charges

When arrested in the state of Maryland, that person will be taken by law enforcement agents, typically the police, to jail for booking. During this process, the person will have a mug shot taken, he or she will be fingerprinted, and asked for a statement. While awaiting his or her day in court, the individual will be held in jail unless he or she is released on bail.

Bail is merely a financial arrangement that a bail bonding agency will make on behalf of the criminal defendant. A bail bonding agency, acting for the defendant, will arrange with the court to have a suspect released from jail pending the trial in exchange for money or collateral, which may be cash, assets, or a bond. The court sets the monetary value of the bail.

The bail agency is then responsible for ensuring that the individual arrives in court on the day of his or her trial. If the individual does not turn up in court, then the bail agency may hire a bounty hunter to track the individual down. It should be noted that the U.S. is one of the only countries in the world that still allows bounty hunting. A bond is a surety that the full bail amount will be paid, but some courts will accept either the full bond or a 10% cash down payment for the release of a suspect. Working with a reputable bail bondsman is another aspect of your case that an experienced Baltimore County criminal defense attorney can help you with.

Contact Our Columbia Maryland Criminal Defense Lawyers

Our societal norms regarding drugs and the state laws that reflect them are changing every day. For additional resources and introductory information on this topic, you can visit our Drug Charges section. You can also contact a Towson, Maryland drug crime attorney if you would like legal help regarding a drug case or in understanding local drug laws. If you or someone you know has been struggling with drug addiction or a substance abuse problem, the first step is to reach out for help. Please do not hesitate to contact our Essex, Maryland drug crime defense attorneys for a free consultation.