Serving Rhode Island & Southern Massachusetts with Offices in: Newport, Providence, North Providence, Pawtucket & Warwick
If you've been arrested for drugs
Sheeley Law will protect your rights and work every aspect of your case to minimize the charges
If you have been arrested for drugs or you are under investigation for a crime involving drugs, it is important to seek legal representation as soon as possible to minimize the consequences. In addition to charges filed by the state, you may also face federal criminal charges that can carry much more severe penalties. It is essential to get experienced legal counsel to protect your rights in these types of cases.
Sheeley Law has been helping to protect the interests of clients facing drug charges for more than 25 years. Our legal team will work on building the strongest possible defense designed to preserve your rights.
Potential Defense Strategies
1. Determine if it was a Legal Search & Seizure
As your attorney, one of the first things we will do is determine whether or not the police conducted a legal search and seizure. Entrapment is a common cause of illegal search and seizures, and occurs when an individual is induced or cajoled by the police into breaking the law when that individual would not have broken the law otherwise. If you believe your search & seizure was illegal, we will use that to build your case as there is a chance drugs confiscated during an illegal search would not be admissible in court.
2. Prove that the Drugs Actually Belonged to You
Sheeley Law will put pressure on the prosecution to prove that the drugs actually belonged to you versus anyone else. For example, if drugs were found in a car and there were several people riding, it may be difficult to prove beyond a doubt that the substance was yours. As your attorney, we will evaluate what is called an “unwitting possession” strategy. Even if illegal drugs are discovered on someone’s person, that person cannot be convicted of illegally possessing drugs if he or she did not know that the drugs were there – that is, if the person “unwittingly” possessed the illegal drugs.
3. Prove that the Substance Was Not Planted
In rare cases, an illegal substance may be planted by someone as a means to get you arrested. As your attorney, we will explore this defense strategy and determine if there is evidence that points to someone potentially having a motive to plant the drugs.
4. Prove that the Substance is Indeed an Illegal Substance
Prosecutors simply cannot say that a bag of white powder is cocaine or another substance. The substance must be analyzed by a crime lab and if it wasn’t, your attorney can argue that there’s no way to prove that the substance was indeed an illegal drug.
5. Missing Evidence
The prosecution needs to produce evidence at trial and sometimes, evidence goes missing. This can happen especially when evidence is transferred from place to place during the course of the hearings.
6. Duress or Coercion
If you were forced to carry or hold drugs for someone else, it may serve as a defense.
Experienced Attorney Ann Sheeley will explore all angles of your case and if you have no or minimal prior record, will use that to help reduce your sentence.