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Assertive Representation In State & Federal Court

Ohio drug charge: funding a drug endeavor

On Behalf of | Apr 5, 2017 | Drug Crimes

The drug laws in Ohio are pretty broad. This means that individuals who think that they are acting in compliance with the law may find themselves being accused of a drug crime. Additionally, innocent individuals who have nothing to do with drugs can come under police scrutiny. When criminal charges are leveled against these individuals, they need to ensure that they aggressively defend themselves, lest they be subjected to harsh penalties.

The first step in defending one’s self is to know the law. This can be a complicated matter, but looking at the applicable statutes is the best place to start. For example, under Ohio law it is illegal to give an individual money or other items of value if you know that individual will utilize those funds to engage in some sort of enterprise related to illicit drugs. However, the law defines which drugs, and the amounts of said drugs, that must be in question before this law is considered violated. For example, an individual who knowingly gives cash to another with the knowledge that that individual will use that money to help him or her sell five or more grams of cocaine, has violated the law.

The penalties for violating this law are harsh, too. Depending on the particular circumstances, an individual could face a high-level felony, a conviction which could lead to several years in prison, tens of thousands of dollars in fines, and irreparable damage to one’s reputation.

Once you’ve become knowledgeable about the statutes that are relevant to your case, you can apply them to the facts and use available evidence to your advantage. In a case involving the statute discussed above, for example, you may be able to challenge the prosecution’s assertion that you knew what the other person intended to do with the funds given to him or her. If you are facing drug charges and want to learn more about how to aggressively defend yourself, you may want to speak with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Source: Ohio Laws and Rules, “2925.05 Funding, aggravated funding of drug or marihuana trafficking,” accessed on April, 2017

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