An arrest related to a drug crime should never be taken lightly. Even a possession charge can result in a felony conviction that can have long and serious effects on your future. In Washington, most drug crimes are felonies. This means that possessing a small amount of what seems like a harmless illegal substance can lead to serious consequences like jail time, fines and a felony conviction on your criminal record.

An example of how a small possession offense can impact your entire life was reported by the Salisbury Post recently. A 16 year old girl was arrested in May after police found her to be in possession of 3 ecstasy pills. Police in Salisbury, North Carolina became suspicious of illegal drug activity after allegedly seeing a bag of marijuana on the porch of a house while inquiring about an illegally parked car. They obtained a warrant to search the house and its occupants. 16 year old Krys'tina Michelle Ripley was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance schedule I drug after she was found to have 3 ecstasy pills in her purse.

Additionally, the article reports that another resident of the home, 18 year old Kyshawn Robinson was charged with felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to manufacture schedule VI and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia after police found “a marijuana grinder, some marijuana and $367 under a mattress in his bedroom”.

While both of these offenses may have seemed minor, the penalties may be steep. Felony offenses can lead to steep fines and a number of years of jail time. It can also lead to a number of long term consequences as individuals with felony convictions on their records can have a hard time finding employment, getting accepting into school and even finding housing and obtaining loans.

If you have been arrested for a drug crime in Seattle, call a defense attorney lawyer right away. The sooner you call, the sooner we can begin building you a strong defense.