Penalties For Intent To Distribute in MA

All drug charges must be taken seriously, especially when they involve accusations that could land you in jail. At the law firm of Sweeney and Associates, LLC, in Massachusetts, we have in-depth knowledge of state and federal penalties for drug possession and distribution offenses.

Your drug case is unique and should be treated as such. As your defense attorneys, we will work hard to minimize the penalties in your case, either by aggressively fighting the charges in court or by working with the prosecution to achieve the most favorable outcome in your case.

Contact us for a free, confidential consultation. We can evaluate your case and answer your questions.

What Are The Penalties You Face?

You might have just had a gram of cocaine or under an ounce of weed in your possession, but if there is evidence that you intended to sell the drugs, the penalties you face could significantly damage your life and reputation if your case is not properly defended.

Class A & B Drugs

Class A drugs include heroin, morphine, codeine, GHB, and ketamine (special K). Class B drugs include cocaine, crack, opium, amphetamines (speed), methamphetamine (meth), LSD, Ecstasy, oxycodone, OxyContin, and methadone.

Penalties for Class A and B drug possession with intent to distribute include:

• State prison (up to 10 years) or house of correction/county jail sentencing (up to 2.5 years)
• Up to $10,000 fine

Subsequent offenses require mandatory minimum sentencing, which includes up to 3.5 years in state prison for Class A and up to two years in state prison for Class B, depending on the type of drug.

Class C Drugs

Class C drugs include peyote, clonazepam, psilocybin, and mescaline. Penalties for Class C drug possession with intent to distribute include:

• State prison (up to five years) or house of correction/county jail sentencing (up to 2.5 years)
• Up to $5,000 fine

Subsequent offenses require mandatory minimum sentencing of 18 months and increased penalties in all areas.

Class D and E Drugs

Class D drugs include marijuana, nitrous acid, and nitrites (poppers). Class E drugs include smaller amounts of codeine, dihydrocodeine, opium, and other narcotics and prescription drugs not included in the other classes.

Penalties for Class D and E drug possession with intent to distribute include:

• House of correction/county jail for up to two years on Class D and up to nine months on Class E charges
• Up to $5,000 fine if violation of Class D and $500 if violation of Class E

Subsequent offenses require mandatory minimum sentencing for Class D drugs and increased penalties in all areas.

Notably, since simple possession of 1 ounce or less of marijuana has been decriminalized in Massachusetts, sharing marijuana socially is not a distribution crime. For example, passing around a joint is not illegal in most cases. However, if the marijuana is individually packaged, found near a scale, etc., you can still be charged with possession with intent to distribute even if the amount is under an ounce.

Penalties for Minors

Penalties for distribution or possession with intent to sell to a minor of Class A, B, or C drugs can include a state prison term of up to 15 years, including a mandatory minimum state prison sentencing (up to five years, depending on drug type) and thousands of dollars in fines.

Contact Our Team Immediately

Without a tough and respected defense Quincy drug crimes attorney on your side, you don't stand a chance. Talk to Sweeney & Associates, LLC about your options for defense.