New York City Drug Distribution Penalties
There is a common misconception that an individual’s personal drug use negatively affects just their own life. An individual who sells or distributes dangerous narcotics affects the entire community around them. Law enforcement tends to view the potential for harm to the entire community much more seriously than someone who is just a single drug user.
If you are facing substance-related charges, contact a distinguished drug distribution lawyer to begin your case. An attorney can help mitigate New York drug distribution penalties by seeking relevant witnesses and evidence on your behalf.
Common Aggravating Factors
The two main aggravating factors that increase the severity of New York drug distribution penalties are the amount of drugs involved and violence or the potential for violence associated with the distribution of drugs. When an individual commits a violent act in furtherance of a drug distribution network; that can seriously increase the severity of how the case is handled and punished if there is a conviction.
Carrying a firearm or other weapon that constitutes the potential for violent acts raises a serious concern with prosecutors. When an individual distributes narcotics to minors or near a school, prosecutors seek harsher penalties. When the specific product is traced to a number of overdose deaths, indicating that the distribution organization combined the narcotics with toxic substances to make a bigger profit, the authorities vigorously prosecute those cases.
Impact of a Personal Record
The person’s criminal history also plays a major role. In some instances, a prosecutor is bound by mandatory minimum sentences because the person has convictions in the past that place them in a category of offenders the legislature determined must be treated more severely.
Do People Fear the Impact of a Former Conviction?
People fear the sentence more than a conviction. It is 95 percent of the reason why people become cooperators. They simply do not want to go to jail. When they are on the street and act confident and have their whole team behind them, they are different people than when they are arrested and put behind bars. Sometimes, the toughest guys become the quickest to flip. They are mainly concerned about getting out of jail.
Most people feel that the more cooperators the case has, the tougher it is to beat. However, more cooperators sometimes can make the case is easier to beat. The jury can see how desperate the cooperators are to get out from under their mess and their willingness to lie. The use of cooperators exposes the government’s willingness to do business with people who cheated, lied, killed, and stole their entire lives. That turns the jury off as well.
Hiring an Attorney
Many years ago, there were no cooperators in these cases. At least in New York, people who cooperate with prosecutions are known to get extremely lenient sentences. People know that if they cooperate with authorities in New York, they receive a low sentence. However, this makes the prosecution’s cases easier when they have cooperators. It is important to contact an attorney with experience defending New York drug distribution penalties.