Drug Defense Attorney Monroe, LA

Navigating the Criminal Justice System in Monroe, LA

Understanding Louisiana’s Drug Charges

Louisiana law enforcement can level a wide range of drug charges against residents it suspects of engaging with illegal substances. Some potential drug charges include:

• Drug possession
• Drug possession with intent to distribute
• Possession of drug paraphernalia
• Drug cultivation and manufacturing
• Drug trafficking
• Drug conspiracy
• Prescription drug offenses

Eric G. Johnson has helped Louisiana residents challenge all of these charges and others like them. He knows what defenses you can use to call police findings into question in an effort to protect your future. 

Louisiana’s Drug Schedules

Louisiana, like the rest of the United States, ranks the severity of legal and illegal drugs on five different drug schedules. The higher up on a schedule a drug is, the more dangerous and controlled it is. This means that the use, distribution, or possession of a drug on a higher schedule may merit more severe consequences. For example, Schedule I drugs include the following:

• Heroin
• LSD
• Ecstasy 
• Peyote

Comparatively, Schedule IV drugs include Xanax and Ambien, both of which still pose some threat to people’s health but have a low risk of abuse.

Notably, Louisiana officers consider marijuana a Schedule I drug. However, 2024 saw the state advance bills calling for the legalization of marijuana for recreational use. If you’re concerned about any marijuana charges you may be facing, we recommend you contact Eric G. Johnson for representation.

Defending Yourself Against Drug Charges

The consequences that come along with unchallenged drug charges may leave you facing a significant amount of jail time on top of severe fines. However, working with a drug defense attorney in Monroe allows you to protect your rights.

Attorney Johnson can help you determine which defenses may most effectively protect you from wrongful accusations of drug use. Some of the most common defenses against drug charges include: 

Mistaken Identity

Police officers may not always have a clear description of someone they believe to be in possession of illegal substances. As such, officers may arrest you under the assumption that you’re someone you’re not. In these cases, you can work with a Monroe drug defense attorney to challenge your case of mistaken identity.

Entrapment and Planted Drugs

Unfortunately, not all police officers obey the letter of the law. Some choose to entrap innocent people out of racial bias or general dislike. If you find yourself the victim of entrapment or planted drugs, you can count on your drug defense attorney to help gather the evidence needed to point out your mistreatment at the hands of your arresting officers. 

Unlawful Search and Seizure

Louisiana officers cannot search your property without a warrant. There are only circumstances wherein officers may move forward with an investigation without a warrant, most of which involve you giving them consent to search your belongings.

If officers attempt to search your property without your permission and without a warrant, they may be engaging in illegal activities. You can subsequently argue that any evidence they find during that illegal search and seizure bears no relevance to your case, as it was obtained through illicit means. 

What Representation to Expect From a Monroe Drug Defense Attorney

Attorney Johnson doesn’t back down in the face of a challenging case. You can count on him to thoroughly investigate the drug charges brought against you. He can also mediate conversations between you and any parties trying to get you to confess to a crime. His presence can prevent police officers and other legal parties from:

• Intimidating you into a false confession
• Offering you insufficient plea deals
• Mistreating you while you’re in the state’s care

The sooner you call, the sooner you can benefit from our team’s many years of legal experience.