Drug charges can vary widely in their prescribed sentencing. From a nonviolent possession crime that carries a fine and possible rehabilitation courses to a serious felony accompanied by decades in jail, the penal system features a graduated sentencing system based the drug amount, type, and situation in which the offense(s) took place.
In Conover, North Carolina, one man found himself on the wrong end of that sentencing range earlier this week. Apprehended by officers who were in the middle of a stake out for another suspect’s warrant, the 25-year old man was arrested and pressed with three separate felony drug charges.
Officers conducting surveillance stopped the man’s vehicle, recognizing his passenger as their original suspect. A search revealed 100 grams of marijuana and 23 illegally-obtained prescription hydrocodone and acetaminophen pills. Police also seized over $2,000 in cash from the vehicle.
The Conover man’s charges include felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, felony possession of a controlled substance, and felony maintenance of a vehicle or dwelling for a controlled substance. The severity of the charges undoubtedly stem from the sheer amount of illegal drugs found in the man’s possession. Marijuana possession and/or distribution charges may prove especially steep, given the drug’s “Schedule I” federal status.
Bail for the defendant has been set at $10,000. Given the severity of his felony charges and complexity of the arrest, a strong criminal defense case will prove both crucially important and potentially successful. Options such as a criminal trial and plea bargain are very likely on the table, and the intimidation of a felony charge should not dismay the accused from availing themselves of their rights.
Source: Hickory Record, “Conover man arrested of felony drug charges,” Alex Frick, Nov. 30, 2012