Cocaine offenses are considered serious in all states. If you face charges in Illinois, it’s important to know what to expect and know the laws pertaining to cocaine.
What is cocaine?
Cocaine is an illegal narcotic drug, which means a person can face harsh penalties if they are convicted of a crime involving possession. Illinois has serious laws against possession of cocaine and often classifies charges as a felony. That means if you are convicted of possession or trafficking of the drug, you could face serious penalties including hefty fines and incarceration. Additional consequences, even if you’re not convicted of the crime, include difficulty finding a job and housing.
Anyone who is arrested on charges involving cocaine needs a strong defense for their case.
What is possession of cocaine?
Cocaine possession is a crime that involves possessing any amount of the illegal drug. There are different possible penalties a person could face if they are convicted of the crime based on the amount of cocaine they are found to possess. However, even having a small amount can still result in serious felony charges that can significantly change your life and future.
Possessing cocaine means that a person has full knowledge that they have the drug or that they have the ability to control it and know where it’s being kept.
The least serious penalties for possession of cocaine are classified as a class 4 felony and involve under 15 grams of the drug. If convicted, you could face up to a year in prison. Anything involving 15 to 100 grams of cocaine can result in a prison sentence of four to 15 years.
On the extreme end, possessing over 900 grams of cocaine can result in 10 to 50 years in prison if convicted. Fines can range as high as $200,000.