Charged with Cocaine Possession?
Contact a New Jersey Criminal Defense Attorney
If you have been arrested on cocaine charges, you will be facing an indictable offense in superior court that could subject you to prison upon conviction if there are aggravating circumstances or you have a prior criminal record. Possession of cocaine in any amount up to a half ounce, including cut, is a crime of the third degree, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of up to $35,000, and suspension of your driver's license. Possessing between a half ounce and five ounces is a crime of the second degree with a maximum prison term of 10 years. More than five ounces of cocaine exposes you to the possibility of a 20-year prison term.
First-time offenders caught with smaller amounts of cocaine or crack might be eligible for pretrial intervention, which could lead to dismissal of the charges upon completion of court-imposed conditions, which will normally include drug treatment. At Villani & DeLuca, we have served the needs of people facing criminal charges of all kinds since 1996, and many of our lawyers are also former prosecutors. We have a very good idea of what the prosecution and the judges expect from defendants under consideration for pretrial intervention, and we can advise you through every step of the process.
People whose prior criminal records disqualify them from pretrial intervention might still qualify for drug court. New Jersey drug court programs ask a lot of their participants, and not everyone can live up to their requirements. We can help you find out if you are a good candidate for drug court, which offers the additional incentive of expungement upon successful completion.
At Villani & DeLuca, P.C. in Point Pleasant Beach, our attorneys advise and represent people charged with cocaine possession in Ocean and Monmouth counties. If you need help understanding the immediate and long-term consequences of your cocaine charges, contact us in Point Pleasant Beach for a free and confidential consultation.
Our Trial Attorneys Can Help You Fight New Jersey Cocaine Charges in Court
Our familiarity with the treatment and rehabilitation resources throughout the Jersey Shore area can help you find the drug treatment program that's right for you. If the facts of your case indicate a good chance of defeating the charges against you, our trial experience in the municipal and superior courts of Monmouth and Ocean counties can help build and present a powerful defense on your behalf.
If there are weaknesses in the case against you, we'll find them. We know how to evaluate the facts of a traffic stop, a search and seizure, a police interrogation, or an affidavit in support of a search warrant. If any of these are defective, we can use these weaknesses to seek dismissal of the case against you.
In addition to helping you face down the immediate prospect of punishment for a New Jersey cocaine charge, we will also develop your defense with your long-range interests in mind. If an otherwise-attractive guilty plea is likely to cost you an important personal or professional interest, we will take every possible step to avoid any adverse continuing consequences for your career or family life.
The defense lawyers of Villani & DeLuca offer highly personalized advice and representation to residents and out-of-state visitors facing cocaine charges in Ocean County or Monmouth County, New Jersey. Contact us for a free consultation in Point Pleasant Beach if you have been arrested on a cocaine charge on the Jersey Shore.