Increased crime because of drug-related activities

This upsurge is not a puzzle. The National Drug Intelligence Center studied this upsurge. It found drug abuse and drug selling increase the rate of violent crimes and property crimes.

Georgia a leading distribution point for drugs

Georgia is now the leading distribution center for drugs in the southeast. This is the reason why drug-related crimes have jumped high, too. What does this mean? This means illegal drug shipments come in through Georgia. It may also mean that illegal drug laboratories and plantations have sprung up in the state. 

Drug manufacturers, drug growers, and drug traffickers protect their sales and distribution territories. Rival drug traffickers commit violent crimes such as homicides, murders, and assaults. This is to protect their turf from other drug traffickers. 

Penalties for trafficking in cocaine

If you or your loved ones are found possessing more than 28 grams of cocaine the minimum sentence that the court will impose on you is 10 years. If you or your loved one are caught with more than 200 grams of cocaine, the minimum penalty is 15 years. 

Penalties for trafficking in crack cocaine

If you are caught with at least 28 grams of crack cocaine, you are looking at a minimum prison sentence of 10 years. Crack cocaine is also known as methamphetamine or amphetamine. If you are caught with more than 200 grams, the minimum sentence is 15 years. 

Penalties for trafficking in marijuana

You may think that since marijuana is legal in some states, in Georgia marijuana is legal, too. But no, marijuana oil is legal in Georgia for medicinal purposes only. This means that you need a doctor’s prescription for it and you can only possess 20 cc of marijuana oil.

High rate of drug possession among young people

And drug offenders are not the people you’d suspect. Studies show that it’s urban professionals and top kids in high school. They are among those arrested by police for drug possession. The 18-25 age bracket has the highest rates of drug addiction. The urban professionals use drugs to help them cope with high-pressure jobs. Students claim that taking drugs helps them maintain their grades. Among this age bracket, the most used drugs are crack cocaine, opioids, and marijuana. These drugs are readily available on the streets.

A Criminal Defense Attorney can help you:

They will explain your rights and options

First, a criminal defense attorney can explain to you your rights upon your arrest. They can explain to you what evidence they have against you. They can explain to you what your options are. They can tell you what possible penalties you are facing. This is important so that you can go forward. 

Evaluating and gather evidence

A criminal defense lawyer can evaluate the evidence against you. They can give you an opinion on how strong or how weak the evidence is. They can also help you gather evidence that can prove your innocence. Or they can help you gather evidence to show that the police do not have sufficient evidence against you. 

Help you mount a defense

Third, a criminal defense attorney can help you mount a defense. This means that they will assess which defense is best suited to the facts against you. They can file a motion to dismiss if the police made a mistake. They can ask the court to exclude evidence that the police gathered illegally. Your lawyer can ask the court for a lower amount of bail so that you can go home while waiting for your trial date.


They can negotiate with the district attorney in what is called plea bargaining. During plea bargaining, you can ask for the district attorney to reduce the charges. They can also ask that you be charged with a less serious offense if the evidence allows it.

Prepare testimonies of witnesses

Fourth, a criminal defense attorney can help prepare you for your day in court. They can help you choose people for your jury. They can help you go over the testimonies of witnesses against you. That way, you can probe weaknesses in the testimonies. They can help prepare you if you will testify on your own behalf. 

Argue for you

Fifth, a criminal defense attorney can argue on your behalf. They can seek points of law or points of fact that can help you prove that you do not deserve to be found guilty. If you are found guilty, they can present circumstances that the court may consider lowering your sentence.   

Seek post-sentencing remedies

If after you have been convicted your criminal defense attorney can file an appeal for you. If you do not wish to appeal, your lawyer can ask the court for some relief. The lawyer can ask for probation, for example. After you have served your sentence, the criminal defense attorney can ask the court for your release. They can apply for parole or for a commutation of sentence for good behavior. 

Restriction or expungement of criminal record

The criminal defense attorney can also ask the court to restrict your criminal record. If you qualify, the court may keep your conviction from being accessed. This means that when you apply for a job the prospective employer cannot access your conviction record. If you seek admission into a college or university the admissions officer will not be able to access your past criminal record. This will help you get your life back on track.

Call a Criminal defense attorney

The criminal defense lawyers at Cobb Criminal Defense have years’ experience in criminal law defense. They have a team of lawyers who are competent and well-experienced to help you. You can trust their combined experience. Don’t hesitate. Call today. Speak to them.