Although marijuana has been legalized here in Minnesota, there are plenty of other drugs that are still illegal to possess or sell. Because the state wants to crack down on the distribution and spread of these drugs throughout Minnesota, they are more likely to hand down stronger penalties to individuals who have the intent to sell the drugs they possess.
But how can the state determine if an individual plans to sell the drugs they have in their possession if they don’t catch them during an attempted sale? In today’s blog, we look at some of the factors that can lead police to charge someone with intent to distribute drugs instead of a simple possession charge.
Intent To Distribute Drug Charges
Police don’t only catch individuals during the process of attempting to make a sale, but that doesn’t mean they can’t find enough evidence to argue that the individual at the center of the case planned to sell the drugs. The first and most obvious factor they’ll consider is the size of the drug bust. If they catch you with 10 pounds of marijuana or $50,000 in cocaine, it’s going to be pretty obvious that they didn’t just find a personal stash. The size of the drug bust is the biggest factor when it comes to deciding whether or not to pursue drug distribution charges, but it’s not the only factor. Other factors police will consider include:
- Where the drug bust occurred (If they found you outside a school or music festival, for example).
- The presence of packaging materials
- If you are carrying a large amount of cash
- If you have a scale or similar drug weighing tool in your possession
- Witness testimony
- Text messages
All of the factors will be considered when police are working to determine what to charge you with, because at the end of the day, they need to be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you intended to sell the drugs they found in their possession. If you can make a compelling case to suggest that you had no intention to distribute the drugs they found on you (or a compelling case that the drugs they found were not yours), you may be able to beat an intent to distribute charge.
Of course, building a strong defense is much easier if you have an experienced criminal lawyer by your side. Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm have won countless drug-related cases, and we want to help you beat the charges or avoid a worst case scenario. We know how to build an effective defense and work the prosecution to ensure you earn a favorable result.
If you’re wondering what we can do for you, we urge you to connect with our team for a free case consultation. We’ll sit down with you, go over the basics of your case and walk you through your options. If you want to hire us on, we’ll take over your case so that you can focus on other aspects of your life. Because an intent to distribute charge can have serious penalties and lifelong consequences, you need to contest the charges in court, and the best way to do that is with a lawyer by your side.
For more information on how we can help you, or to talk with a lawyer about a different criminal charge you are facing, pick up the phone and call the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
