Michigan Methamphetamine Attorneys

Methamphetamine felony charges are life changing. These charges will be dealt with harshly by law enforcement, prosecutors and by judges. Defending meth charges is best left to experienced drug defense lawyers. The Michigan methamphetamine defense attorneys at The Kronzek Firm can help. Call us today at (866)-766-5245 or contact us online.

Methamphetamine in Michigan

Cocaine in powder form Those accused of Meth use, possession, manufacture, creation or distribution will be facing very harsh treatment by the system. Methamphetamine is classified as a schedule 2 drug, so those convicted of a Meth-related crime could be facing many years in prison. Because of the severity of Methamphetamine-related crimes, you should take these charges as serious as can be. In Michigan, possession of meth is a 10 year felony.

Facts about Meth

Michigan has seen a rise in Methamphetamine use over the years. The drug now has many street names, such as Ice, Meth, Crystal Meth, Crank, or Chalk. Methamphetamine first saw wide recreational use when the World War II soldiers started using it. Still, all use and possession of of meth is illegal without a valid prescription. Possession of meth with the intent to distribute is can land you in a prison cell for up to 20 years.

Methamphetamine is highly toxic and addictive. Some side effects include: euphoria, energy, alertness, sociability, paranoia, anxiety, convulsions, restlessness, hallucinations, heart attack, and even death. Withdrawal from Meth may lead to excessive sleeping and depression.

Meth users quickly develop a tolerance to the drug and have to take higher and higher doses of it to feel the same high. Another side effect of Meth is what’s known as “Meth Mouth,” referring to the rotting teeth and gums that users often develop. Meth users also face an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

Meth can be detected in a drug test through the user’s urine, sweat, saliva or plasma. If you are on probation and test positive for Meth, you can be charged with a probation violation.

How is Meth used?

There are several different ways to ingest Meth. The fastest way to get high is through intravenous injection (“slamming”), followed by smoking, anal or vaginal insertion, snorting and swallowing. Addicts look for the quickest high, which can be achieved in seconds through injecting the drugs into their veins using a rig (needles). In contrast, recreational Meth users swallow the drug, but this high can take as long as 30 minutes to induce.

It is normally foreign drug traffickers that bring Methamphetamine to Michigan. Because Meth trafficking tends to be so extensive, there are now increased federal prosecutions for Crystal Meth cases. In Michigan it is very common that Meth is cooked in clandestine labs, such as houses or outbuildings.

In more recent years, however, it has been much more common to cook in mobile labs, such as trucks, campers or other moveable places that can easily elude police. This is sometimes call the one pot method. No matter where the Crystal Meth is cooked, such labs are extremely dangerous due to the types of chemicals that are used. The news presents stories all the time of Meth labs exploding.

Federal and state law enforcement realize that Michigan Meth use has been on the rise and are working to combat this tragedy. For instance, many cold medications are kept behind the counter at the pharmacy and require that the buyer show photo identification to buy it. This is because Ephedrine is a common ingredient in cold medicines, but it is also a common ingredient in Meth.

CPS and Meth Crimes

If you are caught cooking Meth in a home or property where children are present, Children’s Protective Services (CPS) may try to permanently revoke your parental rights. CPS takes Meth crimes very seriously, and you should too. If both law enforcement and CPS are investigating you, you should seek a Michigan attorney who practices CPS defense as well as Michigan drug defense.

Forfeiture of Real and Personal Property

Many Methamphetamine charges result of a raid on a person’s home or property. It is common then for prosecutors to begin a forfeiture case where they endeavor to gain ownership of your land, homes or belongings.

Because Meth production results in strong odors, many labs are located in rural areas or farmlands. Prosecutors will often try to gain ownership of all of the defendant’s land, not just the portion where the Meth was produced. A forfeiture case is civil rather than criminal.

This means you could be facing two separate lawsuits, tying up your assets and making it difficult for you to retain counsel in the criminal case. You should immediately contact an experienced drug forfeiture attorney if you are facing a separate forfeiture proceeding.

The US government’s “War on Drugs” has resulted in stricter drug laws here in Michigan, and police are cracking down on Meth crimes even harder than ever before. Similarly, prosecutors are not at all lenient with those who have been caught using, possessing, manufacturing, creating, or delivering Crystal Meth. On top of everything else, if firearms are found on the same property as Meth components, penalties are even stricter.

Methamphetamine Sentences

Methamphetamine is classified as a schedule 2 drug, so the consequences of a Meth crime are extremely severe. Many defendants accused of a Meth crime in Michigan end up in prison. Meth crime sentences vary, but they are based on the actual crime the individual is convicted of, as well as the scoring under the Michigan Sentencing Guidelines.

Penalty for Meth Use

It is a misdemeanor to use Methamphetamine in Michigan. If convicted of using Meth, you face the least harsh punishment of all Meth crimes. Still, the punishment is up to 1 year a jail, a fine of $2,000, or both for simple use.

Penalty for Possession of Meth

Possession of Methamphetamine is a felony. The sentence for this crime is more severe: up to 10 years of prison, a fine of $15,000, or both.

Penalty for Manufacturing or Delivering Meth

Creation, manufacture, delivery or possession of Methamphetamine with the intent to deliver Meth are all felony drug crimes in Michigan. If convicted of any of these crimes, you may face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $25,000, or both.

Various other factors that your Meth case may involve could add to these punishments, making them even more serious. Such factors include proximity to a school or other locations, the presence of firearms, past criminal convictions, and being charged under federal law rather than Michigan law.

As with other drug crimes in Michigan, your driver’s license may be suspended if you are convicted of a Meth crime.

You should discuss this with your attorney during the course of the representation.

Get The Right Help!

Michigan and federal drugs laws are extremely complex and intricate. You need an experienced lawyer who understands the complexities of both laws. The sentences you may be facing are so serious that you should not risk trying to represent yourself or waste your money on an inexperienced lawyer. Most drug cases also require a lawyer who knows how to litigate the violations of your constitutional rights that may have occurred during the course or your Meth case.

If you have been charged with a Methamphetamine drug crime in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Oakland County, Saginaw or throughout Michigan, you need to hire the best attorneys you can afford. We can help! Call us today. CALL (866) 766-5245

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