New Jersey’s criminal code punishes a wide range of activities related to drugs. Whether you are the alleged head of a drug trafficking operation, or you were trying to help a friend for no pay, you could face serious charges.
Third party to drug deal charged with indictable offense
In a recent example, a New Jersey woman pleaded guilty to an indictable offense after agreeing to act as a middleman for two friends looking for heroin. The woman, who has struggled with addiction herself, told the judge that the friends were crying on the phone and seemed desperate to find heroin. Feeling sorry for them, the woman arranged a meeting between one of the men and a dealer to buy two bundles of drugs.
However, one of the friends who had called the woman was a cooperating witness with a county drug task force. Once the two men completed their drug sale, police appeared and arrested them, along with the woman, who was also at the scene.
The outcome of the case
Soon after being arrested, the woman enrolled in a drug rehabilitation program. She and her defense attorney later negotiated a plea bargain. In exchange for the woman pleading guilty to a charge of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, the prosecution agreed to recommend that she be sentenced to probation instead of prison time.
In this case, the woman was only tangentially involved in the transaction. She did not buy or sell the heroin. Nor did she collect any drugs or money as a fee for connecting the buyer and seller. Still, she ended up pleading guilty to an indictable offense, which is the equivalent of a felony in other states.
Your best reaction to drug charges
Stories like this one show how crucial it is that you seek criminal defense representation after being charged with a drug crime in New Jersey. A lawyer who understands how prosecutors handle drug charges can put you in the best possible position for defending your rights and reaching a reasonable outcome.