Southern California Defense Blog

Under Health and Safety Code Section 11351, a charge of possession for sale of cocaine in San Bernardino is a serious offense and the punishment can be severe.

Possession For Sale of Cocaine Sentencing & Punishment in San Bernardino

If you are convicted of possession for sale of cocaine, you may face a sentence of up to four years in county jail. The court may also impose a fine of up to $20,000 for each conviction of possession for sale of cocaine. (H&S 11372).

In addition to fines and jail time, a conviction for possession for sale of cocaine could affect your ability to get a job or even receive public benefits.

For these reasons, it is important that you find an experienced Wallin & Klarich Criminal Defense Attorney in San Bernardino who is familiar with your type of possession of cocaine for sale case. We can provide you with an overview of the elements of the crime that the prosecution must prove in order to convict you. The San Bernardino Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have over 30 years of experience in this field. We are ready to help you now.

Below is a more detailed explanation of what the San Bernardino Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich can do for you.

Possession For Sale of Cocaine Defenses in San Bernardino

When charged with a serious crime such as possession for sale of cocaine in San Bernardino, you need an experienced San Bernardino Wallin & Klarich Defense Attorney who will form an effective defense strategy for your case. There are several defenses available that could result in a dismissal or reduction of your charge. Here are some successful defenses that your Criminal Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich can raise on your behalf:

• Motion to Suppress Evidence – Penal Code Section 1538.5;
• Momentary Possession;
• No Control Over Cocaine;
• Lack of Awareness or Knowledge of Controlled Substance; and
• No Intent to Sell.

Be sure to hire a San Bernardino Criminal Defense Attorney at Wallin & Klarich to learn more about the defense strategy we can provide for your case. Depending on the facts of your particular case, our San Bernardino Wallin & Klarich Attorneys may be able to attack the elements of the crime and get your charges dismissed.

Finding Experienced San Bernardino Possession for Sale of Cocaine Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich

If you or someone you know has been accused of possession for sale of cocaine in San Bernardino, you need to contact an experienced San Bernardino Criminal Defense Attorney immediately. With offices in Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, West Covina, Victorville, Torrance, and Sherman Oaks, Wallin & Klarich has over 30 years of experience in successfully defending our clients against charges of possession for sale of cocaine. We are available to answer any questions you have and are willing to fight for your freedom.

Call us today at (888) 280-6839. You can also fill out our client information form online. We will get through this together.

On September 20, 2010, Paris Hilton pled guilty to possessing cocaine and for lying to a police officer about it.

Hilton was arrested after a small bag containing the cocaine fell out of her purse in the presence of a police officer. She told the officer that the cocaine did not belong to her.

Hilton was charged with felony possession of cocaine, but by admitting possession, she was allowed to plead to a lesser possession charge. According to the terms of her plea, she must serve a year of probation, complete a drug program, pay a $2,000 fine, and complete 200 hours of community service.

In California, under Penal Code section 11350(a), cocaine possession is a felony. However, a person convicted of drug possession may be eligible for an alternate to imprisonment under Penal Code section 1000 or Proposition 36. Talk to an experienced Southern California criminal defense attorney to discuss your legal options.

Lying to a police officer is a violation of Penal Code section 148(a)(1), which punishes “[e]very person who willfully. . .obstructs any…peace officer…in the discharge or attempt to discharge any duty of his or her employment.” Obstructing a police officer is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail, up to a $1,000 fine, or both the imprisonment and the fine.

If you or someone you know has been charged with a drug crime or obstructing a police officer, you will need an experienced Southern California criminal defense attorney to assist you in your case. At Wallin & Klarich, we have helped people accused of drug crimes and obstructing a police officer for over 30 years. Call us today at (888) 280-6839 or visit us at our website at www.wklaw.com. We will be there when you call.

It was recently reported in the LA Times that authorities in Ventura County assisted in the arrest of an alleged heroin kingpin in Mexico. Mexican officials apprehended "the king of heroin," Jose Antonio Medina Arreguin last week based on the investigative work of Ventura County prosecutors and narcotic officers. Arreguin has been alleged to have smuggled 440 pounds of heroin monthly into California for at least three years, hiding the heroin in secret compartments built into automobiles. Mexican narcotics officials said his operation brought in about $12 million a month.

Under California Health and Safety Code section 11352, transportation of a controlled substance is defined as any person who transports, imports into this state, sells, furnishes, administers, or gives away, or offers to transport, import into this state, sell, furnish, administer, or give away, or attempts to import into this state or transport a controlled substance. More importantly, transporting a controlled substance is a felony punishable by three, four, or five years in a state prison.

Continue reading "Ventura County Assists in the Arrest of the "King of Heroin" - California Health and Safety Code section 11352" »

How an Experienced Southern California Drug Defense Attorney Can Help You

If the police detain you for any reason and you are caught with drugs you may be charged with drug possession. But, if the police believe that you possessed the drugs in order to sell them, then that is a separate charge called “possession for sale.” What would give police the proof that you intended to sell the drugs as opposed to merely possess them for your own personal use? Some of the many factors include the amount of currency the defendant had at the time of arrest, the quantity of drugs possessed, whether the drugs were individually packaged, whether the defendant was in possession of drug paraphernalia, and whether the location where the suspect was arrested is a high narcotics sales area.

Although possession and possession for sale are both serious charges, there are many reasons why avoiding a possession for sale charge is critical. For example, many people charged with possession are eligible for a special diversion program that if successfully completed, could result in a dismissal of the charges altogether. These diversion programs are usually not available for possession for sale charges because those diversion classes are meant to help users, not sellers.

Continue reading "The Difference between Possession of Drugs and Possession of Drugs for Sale Charges - California Health and Safety Code Section 11350 & 11351" »