Drug Crime Defense Attorney in Kansas City, Missouri

Drug-related laws always carry serious consequences, and that’s especially true in Missouri. Attorney John Anthony Picerno has been defending those accused of drug-related crimes for more than 10 years, and although no two cases are exactly alike, there are common threads in place.

First, regardless of the offense with which you’re charged, you are likely looking at heavy fines and potential jail time. 

you are likely looking at heavy fines and potential jail time. Secondly, if you’ve been charged with a drug-related crime or arrested for anything else, you need strong and aggressive legal help. Attorney John Anthony Picerno provides that, as criminal defendants deserve to have their Constitutional rights enforced.

Below is a brief look at a few drug-related offenses in Missouri.

Possession or Control of A Controlled Substance

Section 195.202 of the Missouri Revised Statutes states that it is unlawful to possess or have under his control any substance that is entered on the code’s schedule of controlled substances. In most cases, this possession is considered a Class C felony.

Section 195.222 of the Missouri Statutes is quite complicated in nature, as it basically sets weight standards for several substances in order to define the severity of a crime. If a defendant is found to have more than a certain amount, he could be charged with a Class A felony and face a prison term without the possibility of probation or parole if convicted.

Cocaine

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that cocaine and any derivative of this drug occupies a prominent place on the Missouri schedule of controlled substances. The standards for trafficking cocaine include a 150-gram limit for being charged with a Class A felony. If a defendant is convicted of trafficking more than 450 grams, he or she faces a prison term without the possibility of probation or parole.

Methamphetamine

Methamphetamine’s limits cross a threshold at 30 grams for a trafficking Class A felony, and if the amount is greater than 90 grams, the defendant faces the possibility of a serious prison term without the possibility of parole. There are also harsher sentences if methamphetamine was sold near a school and in certain other locations.

Marijuana

In regards to trafficking, marijuana’s limits are a bit higher, but the same “categories” are in place. For instance, if a defendant is found to be trafficking more than 30 kilograms, he or she faces the penalties associated with a Class A felony. If the amount is more than 100 kilograms, any prison term will include no possibility of parole.

There are many other issues that can be present for a defendant regarding drug-related offenses, including possession, control, evidentiary chains, etc.