Los Angeles Drug Crimes Lawyer

If you’re facing drug charges in Los Angeles, it’s important to act quickly. At RP Defense Law APC, our Los Angeles drug crimes lawyers deal with strategy and facts, fighting for positive results. Whether you’re charged with possession, trafficking, or a federal drug conspiracy, we know how to push back and protect your future. Don’t wait to see what happens. Take control now. Call (818) 646-3443 for a confidential consultation with a proven Los Angeles drug crimes defense lawyer.

What Is a Drug Crime?

A drug crime is any offense involving controlled substances, meaning illegal drugs like cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, or ecstasy, as well as the unlawful possession or distribution of otherwise legal prescription medications like oxycodone or Adderall.

These crimes can range from low-level possession to large-scale trafficking or manufacturing. However, no matter where your case falls on that spectrum, law enforcement and prosecutors in California treat drug charges seriously.

Common drug crimes include possession, possession for sale, transportation, manufacturing, and conspiracy. In many cases, prosecutors will try to escalate charges, especially if they believe there was intent to sell or distribute, even if you were never caught in the act of doing so.

You do not have to have exorbitant amounts of drugs to be charged. Sometimes, a simple pill without a prescription or communication regarding drugs can be used against you to help build a case. Additionally, if your case ends up in federal court, the penalties increase significantly.

Drug Schedules in California

Drug crimes in California are largely shaped by how the substance in question is classified. Both state and federal law use a system called “drug scheduling” to categorize controlled substances according to their potential for abuse and their accepted medical use. These classifications aren’t just technical. They can significantly impact the charges you face and the penalties that follow.

Schedule I

These drugs ​​are considered the most dangerous. These substances have no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Examples include LSD, ecstasy, heroin, and psilocybin mushrooms. Marijuana also remains a Schedule I drug under federal law, even though it’s legal in California.

Schedule II

These drugs have accepted medical uses but still carry a high potential for abuse and addiction. These can include cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and oxycodone. Additionally, some prescription drug cases can fall under this category.

Schedule III

While the potential for abuse is lower than that of Schedule I and II drugs, they are still closely regulated. Common examples include ketamine, anabolic steroids, and certain medications that contain small amounts of codeine. Charges involving Schedule III drugs can still lead to serious consequences, especially when distribution is suspected.

Schedule IV

These drugs include many commonly prescribed anti-anxiety or sleep medications. The potential for abuse is low. Examples are Xanax and Valium. Possession without a valid prescription can still lead to charges, particularly if there’s evidence of misuse or sales.

Schedule V

The potential for abuse is low for these drugs. These include some prescription cough syrups with codeine and other low-dose formulations. While less serious, even Schedule V violations can lead to lasting legal issues if not handled properly.

The severity of your charge often depends on more than just the drug’s classification. It’s also about the quantity, context, prior record, and whether there’s any suggestion of intent to distribute. At RP Defense Law APC, we fight to reduce or eliminate the damage these charges can cause.

Types of Drug Crimes

Drug crimes can range from minor misdemeanors to serious felonies. The severity of the charge depends on a variety of factors, including the type of substance, the amount involved, your criminal history, and whether there was any intent to sell or distribute. Below are some of the most common types of drug crimes and how they are typically handled under California law.

Simple Possession

This is the most basic form of a drug charge and involves having a controlled substance for personal use. Whether it’s a pill without a prescription or a small amount of cocaine, possession charges are taken seriously.

California law does allow for some alternatives to jail time, such as diversion programs or drug treatment in first-time, non-violent cases. However, these options may not apply if the drug is considered especially dangerous or if there’s a prior record.

Possession for Sale

For this charge, you do not necessarily have to be in the act of selling. Law enforcement and prosecutors look at other evidence surrounding the situation, such as having an excessive amount of drugs in your possession that would be considered too much for the average person to reasonably consume alone.

They will also consider other factors that likely point to the intention to sell, such as possessing packaging materials, large amounts of cash, or communication (including text messages) alluding to a sale.

Possession for sale is a felony and can result in serious consequences. Intent alone is enough for a felony charge, and these cases often hinge on circumstantial evidence.

Selling or Transporting Drugs

Selling drugs or transporting them with the intent to sell is a serious felony offense in California. Transportation can mean driving drugs across town or even walking them from one place to another.

Transporting drugs does not require them to be moved across state or national boundaries. It just has to involve movement with an intent to distribute. Being convicted of this crime can result in years in prison, especially if aggravating factors are present, such as selling near or on school grounds or involving minors.

Drug Trafficking

Drug trafficking involves the large-scale movement of controlled substances and often triggers federal jurisdiction, especially if it crosses state or international borders. These are among the most aggressively prosecuted drug cases and carry mandatory minimum sentences under federal law.

RP Defense Law APC has the experience to fight both California and federal trafficking charges with a strategic, evidence-based approach.

Manufacturing Drugs

Producing drugs is a felony under California law. This can include:

• Growing marijuana illegally
• Cooking meth
• Extracting THC from cannabis to make hash oil
• Mixing chemicals to create synthetic drugs like ecstasy or LSD
• Converting powder cocaine into crack cocaine

These cases also often involve hazardous materials, so it is not uncommon for a prosecutor to add additional charges, such as environmental charges, especially if this is done out of a residential home where children or neighbors can be affected.

Prescription Drug Fraud

Not all drug crimes involve street narcotics. Prescription fraud, including obtaining medications like OxyContin or Xanax by forging prescriptions, using multiple doctors, or pretending to be someone else to obtain a prescription, is a growing area of prosecution.

Unfortunately, sometimes, these crimes stem from a medical or addiction issue but are treated as criminal ones. These cases can be nuanced, especially if addiction, injury, or mental health plays a role in the case.

Conspiracy

You don’t have to physically possess drugs to be charged with a drug crime. Simply being connected to a transaction or participating in planning can lead to conspiracy charges. Texts, phone calls, or association with others involved can be enough to land you in the middle of a larger investigation. These charges are especially common in federal cases, where prosecutors often use them to widen the scope of indictments.

Each of these charges requires a different defense strategy. At RP Defense Law APC, we look beyond the accusation to challenge the evidence, question the investigation, and protect your rights at every step. No matter how complex or serious the drug charge is, we’re prepared to take it apart piece by piece.

Penalties for Drug Crimes

In California, drug crimes can be charged as either misdemeanors or felonies, and that difference matters. The penalties you face can range from a few months in county jail to decades in prison, along with heavy fines, mandatory treatment, probation, and lifelong consequences.

Misdemeanors

Misdemeanor drug charges typically involve low-level offenses like simple possession for personal use. These cases are often eligible for alternatives to jail time, such as diversion programs, drug education, or community service. However, don’t assume misdemeanor means minor. A conviction still results in a criminal record that can impact employment, housing, and immigration status.

Even a small amount of an illegal drug or possession of a prescription medication without a valid prescription can lead to arrest and charges. For many clients, the real damage isn’t the fine or the jail time but what follows after the case is over.

Felonies

Felony drug charges carry much steeper penalties. These include possession for sale, sales or transportation, trafficking, manufacturing, or involvement in a drug conspiracy. Depending on the circumstances, penalties can include:

• Years in a state prison
• Heavy fines, sometimes costing tens of thousands of dollars
• Forfeiting assets and property, such as cars and cash
• Losing a professional license
• Risk to immigration status

Some drug offenses may carry mandatory minimum sentences or enhancements based on the type and quantity of the drug involved. Additionally, a prior criminal record, especially for other drug offenses, can escalate the penalties quickly. What might be a misdemeanor for one person could be filed as a felony for another, purely based on history.

At RP Defense Law APC, we know the sentencing landscape and fight to get charges reduced or dismissed wherever possible.

Defending Against Drug Charges

No matter how strong a case may look on paper, drug cases can be defended and challenged. However, the strength of your defense depends heavily on your attorney’s work. At RP Defense Law APC, we are not afraid to push back and question every assumption made against you.

There’s no one-size-fits-all defense. The right approach depends on the facts of your case, the charges, and the evidence. Some of the most common and effective defenses used in drug cases include the following:

• Illegal search and seizure: This is a common defense if law enforcement violated your Fourth Amendment rights. This often happens by stopping you without probable cause, searching without a warrant, or exceeding the scope of a search. In these cases, the evidence may be thrown out.
• Lack of knowledge: Just because drugs were found near you doesn’t mean they were yours. In many cases, we can argue that you didn’t know the drugs were present or had no control over them.
• Entrapment: If undercover officers or informants pressured or manipulated you into committing a crime you wouldn’t have otherwise committed, we may be able to argue entrapment.
• Lab result issues: Drug charges often rely on lab results. However, labs can make mistakes. We can challenge the handling, testing, or chain of custody of the alleged substance.
• Overcharging: Prosecutors often file the most serious charges possible. Our job is to get charges reduced, evidence suppressed, or the case dismissed entirely.

Choosing RP Defense Law APC

When your freedom, finances, or reputation are at stake, you want a lawyer who is knowledgeable and experienced in drug crimes and defense law. Managing Attorney Ruzanna Poghosyan has been guiding clients through serious criminal and drug-related cases since 2008. Based in Beverly Hills and Encino, she brings nearly two decades of courtroom experience to each case.

We’ve built our practice on real results, referrals, and a clear-eyed understanding of California and federal law. We know how prosecutors build their cases, and we know how to fight against them.

We believe in open communication, so you are informed every step of the way about your case details and potential outcomes. We build a targeted and tailor-made defense for you and your specific and unique circumstances.

Take the First Step Toward Defense

Drug charges, whether state or federal, can turn your life upside down. However, you don’t have to face the system alone, and you don’t have to settle for a lawyer who treats your case like just another file. At RP Defense Law APC, we take your case personally. We understand that your freedom and future are at stake.

Attorney Ruzanna Poghosyan brings over 18 years of focused criminal defense experience to the table and has a track record of results in cases just like yours. Whether you’re being investigated, just arrested, or already facing charges, now is the time to act. Call (818) 646-3443 for a confidential consultation today.