Cultivation Drug Crime in Arizona
Everything You Need to Know About Cultivation Drug Crime in Mesa, Arizona
Have you been charged with a drug crime in Arizona? You might have to face heavy penalties with 1 to 2 years of jail time regardless of which city you’re in, Arizona. Cultivating, possessing, or keeping illegal substances in Mesa, AZ has more or less the same penalties.
If you want to fight your charges of a cultivation drug crime, hiring a professional drug attorney is essential. Also, you need to have in-depth knowledge of cultivation drug crime to avoid mistakes that can negatively impact your drug crime charges.
The article in this regard covers everything you need to know about cultivation drug crime in Mesa, AZ.
What is A Drug Crime?
A drug crime refers to an offense that involves drugs of any kind such as cocaine, heroin, and marijuana. All the USA states including the federal government have specific laws addressing the cultivation, use, possession, and sale of drugs.
Keep in mind that every drug-related crime has some standards and different penalties. It is especially true if you have committed or been involved in a serious drug crime. Most the drug crimes involve offenses including;
- Possession
- Manufacturing/cultivation
- Use and distribution
It is worth mentioning that drug possession and cultivation are the most common offenses with typically strict penalties. These charges arise when someone knowingly possesses an illegal substance.
For instance, if you have a drug such as marijuana without a doctor’s prescription, you may face penalties. The penalties for the cultivation of drug crime vary depending on the use and distribution of the substance.
Drug cultivation usually involves creating or cultivating natural drugs or synthetic substances. Cooking methamphetamines or growing marijuana for sale is a common drug crime in Mesa, AZ. It is considered a criminal act.
In the same line, drug distribution is also a serious crime in Mesa, AZ. It includes the following activities;
- Sale of illegal substances
- Smuggling of drugs
- Trafficking and Delivery of dugs
It is worth noting that drug trafficking after cultivation largely depends on the amount and type of substance that is present or involved.
Drug Cultivation
As mentioned above, drug cultivation is a drug offense involving plants’ growth classified as drugs or controlled substances. It involves a wide variety of illegal plants including opium, marijuana, and several other hallucinogenic and intoxicant plants.
In Mesa, drug cultivation laws come under illegal substance laws. For instance, cultivation and growing laws prohibit:
- Producing or manufacturing plants with naturally occurring substances that are used in illegal drug production. It includes the production of substances such as cocaine (sourced from plants).
Difference between Drug Cultivation and Drug Possession
It is worth noting that drug cultivation isn’t necessarily the same as drug possession. Drug cultivation typically includes some components of drug possession as an individual requires some amount of substance to grow or cultivate the drugs.
Drug cultivation relatively is a more serious charge compared to drug possession. It is because drug cultivation is commonly the first stage of drug distribution. On the other hand, drug possession doesn’t always mean that the person with an illegal substance intends to distribute it.
Legal Penalties for Drug Cultivation in Mesa, AZ
In most cases, the drug possession sometimes results in just a minor misdemeanor. The charges have jail time penalties of less than 2 years with criminal fines.
However, the possession of an illegal substance or its cultivation/growing with intent to sell or distribute is charged as a felony. It is punishable with a jail time sentence of at least one year or maybe longer with hefty drug criminal fines.
Some charges of cultivation drug crime are different from drug possession use or sale. As you’re actually cultivating, making, or manufacturing the drugs itself for use, distribution, export, or sale, the charges are extremely serious.
You might not have heard this before but Arizona State has a special task force that is trained to find and arrest the drug crime offenders and also prosecute them. If someone faces charges without a knowledgeable and experienced drug crime defense attorney who knows how to defend the case, his/her conviction will be swift.
The conviction may involve hefty penalties such as extended prison sentences and jail with costly fines. That is why it is essential to consult a drug defense attorney or Arizona criminal defense that can represent you in court.
Keep in mind that your chances to come out clean drastically improve when you have a good attorney to fight your case.
Drug Cultivation Laws in AZ
Whether you have been arrested in Phoenix AZ, Scottsdale AZ, Tempe AZ, Gilbert AZ, Chandler AZ, or Mesa, AZ, the drug cultivation laws make no difference within Maricopa County and other Arizona counties.
Every city in Arizona is subject to the same laws practiced in the State. The Arizona Revised Statutes comprehensively outlines the penalties and classification for drug cultivation that goes, "A.R.S. 13- Chapter 34 for Drug Offenses including 13-3401 to 13-3461".
Particularly, these are the sections for drug cultivation laws:
- A.R.S. §13-3406
- §13-3407
- §13-3408
Typically some illegal substance isn’t grown but chemically manufactured or produced for use. Methamphetamine or Meth, for instance, is synthesized in meth labs. The charges of producing meth may involve many offenses including possession of the chemicals and items used to make the drugs.
A.R.S -§13-3405 law is for drug production. The law basically outlines cultivation as a serious drug crime. It includes charges for people who knowingly grow plants such as Marijuana for specific purposes whether for sale, personal use, or distribution.
Penalties and Classification
Illegal drug manufacturing or possession of chemicals to make drugs or manufacturing charge is Class 1 Misdemeanor or Class 2 Felony. The charges or penalties depend on the circumstances.
Cultivation of illegal drugs ranges between Class 3 Felony and Class 5 Felony. However, it is worth mentioning that the drug charges depend on the type and quantity of the drugs found dried. Even if someone has cultivated the drugs for personal use, the charges include mandatory jail time.
The penalties and drug crime laws in the State of Arizona are complex to understand and deal with unless you have sufficient knowledge of the charges you may face. The changing laws may also worsen the problems for people facing penalties for drug crimes.
This is when you need a qualified cultivation drug crime attorney to defend your drug possession charges. The drug crime attorneys deal with such cases on regular basis and are familiar with defenses, laws, court protocols, and procedures being practiced in Mesa, AZ.
They can lead your case using their skills, knowledge, and expertise and represent your case in the best possible way to avoid penalties and charges.
Summing up
In conclusion, the cultivation of drugs crime is one of the serious crimes in Mesa, AZ. You can face one year or longer jail time if convicted of the crime. The penalties are also severe and hefty in such cases. Thus, you need a competent drug cultivation attorney to get legal representation. A good legal attorney will help you reduce the charges and penalties.
Links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug-related_crime
https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/DRRC.PDF
https://www.unodc.org/