Defending Against Illegal Drug Charges in DuPage County
By: Nick Messe | Posted: 05th November 2009
Like many urban communities in the U.S., DuPage County Illinois has its share of drug problems, including drug-related crimes. DuPage is part of the greater Chicago metropolitan area. In fact it is the second most populous county in greater Chicago with almost 1 million residents - second only to Cook County.
With that many residents, and with its proximity to the city core of a major city such as Chicago, it is inevitable that DuPage County and its major municipalities such as Naperville and Wheaton will have their share of crime. Illegal drugs and the resulting crime are a major problem in virtually every urban area in the U.S., and DuPage County is no exception.
This is in spite of the fact that DuPage County is one of the wealthiest counties in the U.S. On average, the per capita income of DuPage residents is the highest in the state of Illinois. Not long ago, DuPage County's economy was primarily agricultural, but this has gradually been transformed into a rich and diversified region boasting many different types of industry. This change has come about as DuPage has become an integrated part of the dynamic urban region known as Chicagoland.
Drugs have been summarily classified into four major categories. General drugs like aspirin, paracetamol, and other painkilling medicine, need no doctors prescription and are available in any drugstore, supermarket, or corner store. Then there are the legal drugs like cigarettes, alcohol and pharmaceutical products. It is interesting that there are those that are both legal and illegal, such as heroin, which is legal when prescribed by a doctor, and illegal if you purchase it on the street.
Finally there are the illegal drugs which include heroin and cocaine. They are available in powder form, and either snorted directly in to the nose or mixed with tobacco in cigarettes and inhaled. They can also be mixed with water and injected into a vein. While an overdose of marijuana will rarely kill anyone, there are many reported cases of heroin having brought many an addict to the doors of death and beyond.
No matter what city they are in, regular drug users will often become addicts. Invariably, the addicts become a source of danger to themselves and to the world around them, because they are no longer in control of their actions, due to their various stages of intoxication. The sheer necessity of the drug turns the user into a thief, prostitute, or even a murderer in order to eke out money for drugs. From there the addict often lands in the hands of the police, who charge him with drug possession and bring him before a judge.
Being caught with a small quantity of marijuana or ecstasy may cause a person to end up with fines up to $1000. However, if the defendant, when caught, has in his possession larger quantities of illegal drugs like heroin, cocaine, or ecstasy, he or she is in big trouble. It is then time to seek the services of a tried and tested drug defense and criminal attorney. It is also time to sober up and truthfully recount every detail, because the future depends on it.
The first major issue that will be addressed by your defense attorney will be to make sure that there has been no violation of your constitutional rights. Next, your lawyer will ensure that only lawfully collected evidence is presented. Further vital factors will also be probed in detail. Such things as the exact reason why the officer stopped you, whether the drugs were unearthed accidentally or during a check pertaining to some other offense, and witnesses to the arrest will all become very important to your defense.
Martin and Kent are tough, experienced Naperville DUI attorneys. As former Felony Prosecutors they are committed to winning your case. - http://www.martinandkent.comThis article is free for republishing
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Tags: many different types, illegal drugs, paracetamol, urban area, pharmaceutical products, state of illinois