Drug Crime Lawyer in Kansas City, Missouri. Even just “simple possession” of an illegal substance can land you in prison. What’s worse, you could face elevated charges of distribution or trafficking. Without the help of a proven Kansas City criminal defense attorney, you could face years behind bars.
Combs Waterkotte is here to help you avoid that fate. Our team of legal experts is ready to defend against any drug charge in Kansas City and will help you find the best outcome possible for your case.
If you need an expert Kansas City drug crime lawyer, we’re just a call away. You can reach us at (314) 900-HELP or tell us about your case online for a free, confidential consultation.
Kansas City Drug Crime Lawyer: Page Summary
On this page, we overview what a drug crime lawyer in Kansas City does to protect you, the different drug charges you can face in Missouri, the top qualities to look for when deciding on a drug defense attorney, and resources available to help people facing drug charges in Kansas City.
You can navigate to a specific section using the links below:
- What a Kansas City Drug Crime Lawyer Does
- Missouri Drug Charges We Defend and Their Penalties
- What You Need in a Kansas City Drug Crime Lawyer
- Treatment and Diversion Programs for Kansas City Drug Charges
- Substance Abuse and Legal Resources
- Contact a Drug Crime Lawyer in Kansas City Today
Cases Handled
Over 10,000
Jail Days Saved
Over 1 Million
Google Reviews
500+ Perfect
Legal Experience
Over 80 Years
What a Kansas City Drug Crime Lawyer Does
When you call an experienced Kansas City Drug Crime Lawyer from Combs Waterkotte, we start working on your defense immediately. Wherever you are in the judicial process, it’s critical to have an attorney on your side to protect your rights and defend your freedom.
Here are the steps we take to help after your call:
- Listen to Your Story: This is your case, and your well-being should be at the center of it. We’re dedicated to treating you like a person, not a case number.
- Stand By You During Interrogations: No matter what, even if you’re innocent, you need an attorney by your side to ensure that your rights are being protected.
- Fight for Bail: Bail is not guaranteed for all crimes in Kansas City, and getting it depends on certain subjective factors. We will argue that you deserve pretrial release and a reasonable bail amount.
- Decide on a Defense Strategy: Based on the specifics of your case, we’ll work together to come up with a powerful defense strategy to fight the prosecution.
- Negotiate With the State: Using our strategy and any available evidence, we’ll bargain with the district attorney to see if we can have your charges dropped or dismissed.
- Defend You at Trial: If the negotiations don’t give us an outcome that you find acceptable, our trial-ready team of drug crime lawyers will present your case in court.
- Represent You for Sentencing/Appeals/Parole: Depending on the result of your trial, you may have the option for sentencing, appeal, and/or parole hearings. We won’t give up until you get the justice you deserve.
Drug Crime Defense Strategies
Each case is unique and deserves a tailor-made defensive plan. Below are some of the common strategies that your Kansas City drug crime lawyer should consider:
Lack of Intent
If you didn’t mean to break the law, you often can be found innocent. This is particularly relevant to drug crime cases, where you can be accused just for being near an illegal substance, even if you’re not guilty of using it. For example, if there were drugs in your vehicle but they weren’t yours, you can argue that you did not have the intent to possess them.
Lab Analysis Errors
To be convicted of possession, distributing, or manufacturing an illegal substance, the state needs to prove what that substance was. If there was an error in the scientific analysis used to identify it, we can exploit that to have the evidence thrown out.
Illegal Search and Seizure
Your Fourth Amendment rights protect you against unlawful searches and seizures by law enforcement. This means that police need to either have a warrant or probable cause to search your person or property. Your Kansas City drug crime lawyer can cast doubt on whether their reasoning did, in fact, qualify as probable cause.
Entrapment
Police are allowed to conduct undercover operations to catch alleged criminals, but there are limits on what they are allowed to do. If they go too far and cause you to break the law when you wouldn’t have otherwise, that is entrapment. If you were a victim of entrapment, that can be grounds for a dismissal of your charges.
Drug possession defenses are different from those for some other types of accusations, namely, violent crimes. This is because many are vice crimes, so defenses like “self-defense” aren’t applicable.
On the other hand, this allows for other defense strategies that only work against drug charges. For example, For example, let’s look at a hypothetical marijuana criminal charge. While it is now legal in Missouri, adults over 21 cannot carry more than 3oz of marijuana at a time. If you only had 3oz on you, but something was wrong with the law enforcement’s scale, and it showed 4oz, you can claim that there was a measurement error and you were actually innocent.
Vice Crimes Definition: Vice crimes refer to a category of actions that are illegal, but committing them typically does not harm anyone other than the alleged offender. Common examples include using drugs, prostitution, and certain kinds of gambling.
Missouri Drug Charges We Defend and Their Penalties
You can face a variety of different drug accusations in Kansas City, and it’s important to work with a reputable drug crime lawyer for any of them. We’ve outlined some of the most common types of charges below, along with their penalties:
Drug Possession
Drug possession is probably the most common drug-related charge in Kansas City. You would ‘possess’ a drug if you allegedly had it on your person, or it was somewhere else, but you had control over it.
Drug Possession Penalty: For any substances besides Marijuana, possession is a class D felony, with up to seven years in prison if convicted (Marijuana possession can either be a class A or class D misdemeanor).
Drug Distribution
Drug distribution is a step up from regular possession charges. These charges include when someone allegedly sold an illegal drug, tried to sell it, or even just planned to sell some they had.
Drug Distribution Penalty: Distribution can range from a class E felony (up to four years in prison) to a class C felony (three to ten years in prison).
Drug Trafficking
Drug trafficking refers to when someone is accused of possessing, purchasing, or bringing into Missouri a large amount of an illegal substance.
Drug Trafficking Penalty: Trafficking charges can come in either first or second degree, and overall range from being a class C felony to a class A felony (ten years to life in prison)
Drug Manufacturing
Drug manufacturing charges arise when someone allegedly grew, mixed, or otherwise made a controlled substance.
Drug Manufacturing Penalty: Manufacturing penalties depend on the type of substance that was allegedly made and the amount. Some other factors, such as if someone was injured in the process, can also elevate the penalties. It can range from a class E felony up to a class A felony.
DWI With Drugs
A DWI with drugs is similar to an alcohol DWI: if you were operating a vehicle with drugs in your system (even legal ones) that could impair your ability to drive, you can be accused of a DWI with drugs.
DWI with Drugs Penalty: The penalty depends on whether you have any previous DWI convictions. If this is your first conviction, the penalty is a class B misdemeanor (up to six months in jail). Additionally, you will face a license suspension.
Juvenile Drug Crimes
If the alleged offender was under the age of 18 when they supposedly broke any of the above laws, that is a juvenile drug crime case. This also includes some special crimes, such as a minor in possession of marijuana.
Juvenile Drug Crimes Penalty: The potential penalties are the same as for adults, but the defense strategies are different. Your juvenile drug crime lawyer can help you explore what youth diversionary options are available in Kansas City.
As you probably noticed, several of the above allegations carry felony consequences if convicted. To protect yourself from years behind bars, it’s essential to work with an experienced felony drug crime lawyer to build your defense.
Federal Drug Charges in Kansas City
Beyond state charges, there’s another thing to be aware of: Federal charges. For major drug trafficking allegations or transport of illegal substances across state lines, the federal government may decide to prosecute the case. If you are facing federal charges, contact a leading federal drug charges lawyer with the strength to take on the United States Government as soon as possible.
What You Need in a Kansas City Drug Crime Lawyer
Your Kansas City drug crime lawyer can’t be just anyone. If you want to maximize your chances of a positive outcome, you need someone who has all of the following:
- Experience in Kansas City, Missouri, courtrooms.
- Compassion for your situation and well-being
- Fair and clear payment structures
- Knowledge of your specific charges
- A track record of success
Combs Waterkotte meets all of the criteria for a high-quality drug crime lawyer. We’re here to help and will battle for your freedom.
Treatment and Diversion Programs for Kansas City Drug Charges
If you’re facing drug charges in Kansas City, you might be imagining a trial in front of a judge and jury. But that’s not the only option. Your drug crime lawyer can help you explore special courts and diversionary programs that can keep you out of jail.
While Missouri has many drug treatment courts, adult treatment courts are the most widely available. These courts were made to help people with substance use disorders fight against addiction, rather than facing typical criminal charges.
The typical process involves the court identifying if someone is a good candidate for treatment services, working with the defense attorney to ensure the candidate’s rights are respected, and providing rehabilitation services to the person once they’re in the program. Regular testing is required to ensure participants remain drug-free.
Some other types of treatment courts in Missouri include DWI court, family treatment court, and juvenile court. These can be equally valuable, though they are not as widely available. Talk to a drug crime lawyer to see what you have access to in Kansas City.
Getting Help: Substance Abuse and Legal Resources
Criminal drug charges are complex. The interactions between law and addiction don’t always make sense. But you can find help. Below, we’ve listed some resources for assistance with both substance abuse and legal complexities:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Missouri Treatment Court Reports
- Missouri Drug Laws Index
- Missouri Legal FAQs
- Legal Glossary
- General Missouri Criminal Defense Resources
Facing drug charges can turn your life upside down. But with the right drug crime lawyer, you can find options to get back on your feet and move forward.
Get Expert Legal Representation in Kansas City From a Proven Drug Crime Lawyer
Your Kansas City drug crime lawyer should be doing more than “good enough” for your case. You should be getting expert legal representation and working with someone who puts you first.
At Combs Waterkotte, we have:
- Successfully handled over 10,000 cases
- Extensive criminal defense resources
- A client-centered approach
- A stellar reputation amongst clients and peers
Call us at (314) 900-HELP or send us a note online to talk to a drug crime lawyer today.
