3 Ways to Defend a Drug Charge in Illinois

 Posted on May 08, 2024 in Drug Crimes

Drug possession charges carry a lot of stigma. People may assume that you are a drug addict and that all of the negative stereotypes about people with substance abuse problems apply to you. You may find that potential employers, landlords, and even friends or family members are hesitant to trust you. While you may have been made to feel like there is no way to fight back against your drug possession charges, you may have a legal defense available. People who did not intentionally choose to have illegal substances in their possession are sometimes charged with this crime erroneously. An Arlington Heights, IL drug possession lawyer can develop the best defense strategy possible in your case.

Defenses to Drug Possession Charges 

Even if the police did find you with illegal drugs around, you may still have a defense depending on the circumstances. An attorney will need to analyze the facts of your case and speak to you about what led up to your arrest so he can formulate a defense strategy. A few defenses to drug possession include:

• The substance was not illegal - Innocuous substances are sometimes mistaken for illicit drugs. Even testing kits, sometimes carried by police officers, can produce inaccurate results. Famously, one man was arrested in Florida because police mistook the glazed donut residue stuck to his fingers for methamphetamine. 
• You were not the one in possession - You may be able to show that although the drugs were in your vicinity, someone else was in possession of them. For example, if the car you were riding in was pulled over and drugs were found near your feet, you may be able to argue that the drugs belonged to a different passenger who simply threw them on the floor upon being stopped by police. 
• Lack of knowledge - You did not know that there were drugs in your possession. For example, your boss asked you to return a backpack left in the breakroom to a coworker who happens to live near you. You agree, not realizing that your coworker had drugs in his backpack. In some cases, drug dealers will intentionally use an “unwitting agent” to transport drugs. You may have been used as an unwitting agent if it turns out that your boss was selling drugs to your coworker and knew what was in the bag. 

Contact a Cook County, IL Drug Possession Lawyer 

Scott F. Anderson, Attorney at Law is experienced in defending people against drug possession charges. Knowledgeable Arlington Heights, IL drug possession attorney Scott Anderson has been practicing criminal law for more than 25 years. Contact us at 847-253-3400 for a complimentary consultation.