Cocaine Charges

An on-line Drug Slang Dictionary lists more than 200 terms referring to cocaine or cocaine use. Some sound funny: Wacky Dust, California Cornflakes, Double Bubble, Happy Trails, Snow White. But a criminal charge of possession of or trafficking in cocaine is anything but funny.

At the Dan Carman, Attorney at Law, PLLC, we take seriously what could be a serious matter for you and your family. Contact us by phone at (859) 685-1055 or through our online form if you are or anticipate that you may be facing cocaine charges. Criminal drug charges in Kentucky can permanently eliminate education and job opportunities. They require the focused attention of an experienced and aggressive criminal defense attorney like Dan Carman.

COCAINE DE-MYSTIFIED

Cocaine has also been called “the caviar of street drugs,” and has had a mystique attached to it as it acquired the status of drug of choice for celebrities, fashion models, Wall Street traders and other powerful figures. In reality, there’s nothing mystical about cocaine. Derived from the leaves of the coca plant, cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid, a nervous system stimulant, an appetite suppressant, and has local anesthetic activity. Arguably, cocaine is more dangerous than other stimulants, including amphetamines, and can cause sudden cardiac death.

Powdered cocaine dissolves in water and can be snorted or injected. Crack is made by a chemical process that leaves it in its “freebase” form, which can be smoked.

COCAINE IN THE NEWS

The legal woes of the rich and famous are always going to create headlines, of course. But it is interesting that in just the month of December 2013, a number of well known individuals were in the news because of their cocaine use.

• U.S. Congressman Trey Radel of Florida pleaded guilty to cocaine possession, took a leave of absence from politics and checked into a Naples rehabilitation center.
• Toronto Mayor Rob Ford became an international media sensation after acknowledging that he had smoked crack in a “drunken stupor.”
• Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson acknowledged in a court appearance that she had used cocaine and other drugs from time to time.

The fact is, cocaine is illegal, and the penalties for conviction of possessing or trafficking in cocaine can be severe, regardless of your social status.

COCAINE, A STATE OR FEDERAL OFFENSE

Cocaine is illegal under both federal and state laws. Federal prosecutions often happen as a result of planned federal task force activities.

Federal Law & Cocaine Charges

Federal law distinguishes between powder and crack cocaine and penalties are based on amount of drug involved and number of prior convictions, if any. The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010 imposes harsher sentences for crack cocaine possession than for powder cocaine, at a new ratio of 18-to-one as opposed to the old 100-to-one ratio. However, especially with the popularity of and attendant focus on heroin trafficking/distribution, mere possession of cocaine is not often prosecuted federally. Nevertheless, possession and/or distribution of cocaine by the kilogram is not uncommonly the subject of federal prosecutions.

KY Law and Cocaine Charges

Kentucky law does not differentiate between powder cocaine and crack cocaine. Possession is a Class D felony. Selling less than 4 grams is a Class D felony, and trafficking 4 grams or more is a Class C felony for a first offense and Class B felony for a second or subsequent offense.

HELP IS AVAILABLE

Dan Carman is admitted to practice in all Kentucky state courts, the federal courts in both Eastern and Western Kentucky, and the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. His experience in all facets of criminal law will enable him to identify and develop your best defense against charges of cocaine possession or trafficking. Call Dan (859) 685-1055 or use the convenient contact form.