Dallas Drug Sales Defense Attorney

In an effort to crack down on the sale and distribution of illicit substances, Dallas prosecutors aggressively pursue convictions on drug sales charges. While that may be frightening, you will not be sentenced unless the prosecution can prove that you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The Dallas drug sales defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter understand how these charges are likely to be pursued against you and, thereby, how best to defend against them.

If you have been charged with drug sales in the Dallas area, one of our drug defense lawyers can help you develop a comprehensive legal strategy capable of challenging each and every aspect of your case. Contact us today at (214) 845-7007 to schedule a free consultation.

Why Do I Need a Drug Sales Defense Lawyer?

Depending on the circumstances of a drug sales case, an individual that is charged with possessing an illegal drug might face charges of possession with the intent to deliver which includes intent to distribute, drug sales, drug dealing, or trafficking. The penalties for these crimes are usually based on the amount of drugs a person has on them, the purity of the drugs or, other evidence showing the person intended to sell and distribute these drugs.

Drug sales, drug manufacturing and drug trafficking charges can have severe and lifelong consequences. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) or the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are always involved in charges of drug sales, and individuals charged with these crimes are often prosecuted in federal court. Federal convictions are subject to mandatory minimum sentences that are harsher than state penalties. The penalties can include large fines and years in prison.

If you have been accused of selling drugs, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney that can thoroughly investigate the circumstances of your case and provide a strategic defense for you. A lawyer familiar with drug sales cases will know all the possible defenses you might be able to use, and will be able to select the best one for your case. They can also defend your rights in court and throughout the investigation process.

Why Should I Choose Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter to Handle My Case?

Mark Lassiter is a criminal defense attorney with 12 years of experience defending cases of drug sales and trafficking in the Dallas metro area. As a former prosecutor for the Dallas County District Attorney’s office, Mark is knowledgeable about prosecutors’ strategies and can develop a suitable legal defense if you have been accused of selling or manufacturing drugs in the state of Texas.

Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter has earned a national reputation for successful verdicts since its inception in 2006. Our attorneys have been named Super Lawyers and named among the Top 100 Lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers. We also hold a perfect 10.0 rating on Avvo.

Elevating Drug Possession Charges to Drug Sales Charges in Dallas

The most commonly distributed drugs are marijuana, cocaine, heroin, meth, MDMA, and LSD. Each substance carries different penalties, depending on the quantity and the amount of the drugs sold. Each type of drug also carries penalties that differ if there are other charges involved.

Drug possession charges are often elevated to much more serious drug sales charges in the Dallas area when one or more of the following circumstances exist:

A gun or other weapon are present
Excessive sums of cash are present
The storage method of the drug indicates an intention to sell it
Scales, baggies, or other paraphernalia are present

Our Dallas legal team will do everything they possibly can to help you either reduce your charges or, ideally, altogether eliminate those charges.

Penalties for Drug Sales and Trafficking in Texas

The Texas Controlled Substances Act defines drug sales and drug trafficking as the manufacture, delivery, or possession with intent to deliver of a controlled substance. The law breaks down controlled substances into four penalty groups, with different punishments for different substances.

Under laws in the state of Texas, felony drug trafficking penalties can range from 2 years in a state jail facility and possible fines up to $10,000, to 15 years to life in prison and fines up to $250,000.00. Under federal law, drug crimes can carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to life imprisonment without parole. Federal fines vary from $2 million up to $20 million dollars.

What To Do If You are Charged with Selling Drugs

Whether you are charged on a state or federal level, you will need legal representation in order to avoid tougher penalties on your charges. Most drug trafficking cases carry the potential for staggering fines, several years of jail time, and a criminal record that will stay with you for the rest of your life. If you have a conviction on your record, it could damage your ability to find housing, become employed, or even obtain a loan in the future.

A drug trafficking charge in Texas does not necessarily mean it will lead to a conviction. A skilled and aggressive lawyer can offer an effective legal strategy for a drug sales and trafficking charge. An attorney can listen to your side of the story before determining the best possible defense that coincides with the circumstances of your case. Some possible defenses include if you possessed the drugs for personal use (not for sale), if your rights were violated in an illegal search and seizure, or you were not aware the drugs were in your possession at the time of the search. A lawyer could also demonstrate that you were a victim of entrapment by law enforcement.

If you are viewed as a drug dealer, you are a potential target for law enforcement. If this is the case, you need a skilled attorney who will ensure the protection of your constitutional rights. In many instances, the state will overstep their boundaries in their overzealous pursuit of individuals they perceive to be selling drugs in the state of Texas.

Consult with a Dallas Drug Sales Defense Attorney

At the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter, our Dallas drug sales defense attorneys will work closely with you to develop a legal strategy that will be capable of challenging each and every aspect of your arrest and subsequent charges, all in an effort to reduce or altogether eliminate those charges. To discuss the particulars of your case with one of our Dallas criminal defense attorneys, please call our Dallas offices at (214) 845-7007 today.

TESTIMONIALS

Recommendation for Mark LassiterI am pleased to write a letter of recommendation. I highly recommend Mark Lassiter to others who are seeking such assistance. His representation allowed me to do very little in my case. It was Mark’s proven expertise and his legal knowledge that was valuable in getting my case dismissed. In short, I recommend Mark enthusiastically without reservation and I do believe he would be a valuable asset to you.

- Name Redacted

dear Markplease accept this letter on my and Susan’s behalf. there is a powerful message and testimony we would like to share with you for the first time.for over a year the weight of what happened to Reid was heavy on our souls. at first we held great anger, resentment and disgust toward Angel (the passenger). it became evident after turning 21 the Angel has a severe alcohol problem which my son nor us fully understood. The arrest also brought us great disappointment, frustration and disheartenment toward Reid.We have found that God often surprises us with his answers to our prayers. Prior to the arrest was had been in prayer that God help turn Reid away from selfishness, childishness and destructive ways. We prayed that God move to change him toward everlasting values and better choices in his life. We believe that God answered that prayer with the arrest. We blamed ourselves for bringing this calamity but understood it would take something this powerful to reach him. There is no doubt in our minds this ordeal has placed a permanent imprint on his soul.during the many delays associated with this case we were able to put forgiveness in our hearts toward Angel. Also during the many delays the full weight of the case in our and Reid’s mind triggered conversations pertaining to life decisions and direction. Time allowed us the opportunity to be rid of the noise and cloudiness of our emotions. We believe this to be a part of the master plan that God was overseeing.Only today did the full story become revealed. During this case with all the odds against us can we say without question that God was in it. How else could the series of events occurred within the judicial process that could put the opportunity in to your mind that there was a way to victory. The entire morning Susan and i were in fervent prayer even after your told us we had only a 25% chance of winning.Grace is the receipt of a blessing that is undeserved. Reid did not deserve to win today. We all are eternally marked by the message of grace given to us and you were the instrument that brought the gift to our house. Thank you from bottom of our souls and may God bless and keep you all of your days.

- Name Redacted

Dear Mr. Lassiter,Today you saved my son’s life. When he received a DWI, it broke my heart because I knew it would be on his record forever. It would limit his options in life. He would be paying for his stupid mistake for the rest of his life. At 21 years of age he was overwhelmed with the depth of the problem he created for himself.I decided to find him the best lawyer in Dallas, and I did. I researched lawyers for two days, and then I found you. I knew from the moment I read about you that you were the one we needed. When I met you, I knew instantly that I had complete confidence in you. Even if the result had ended with my son being guilty, I would have had peace knowing that he had had THE BEST lawyer.Listening to you “own” the courtroom today was amazing. You told us in the morning that we only had about 25% chance to win; however, by the middle of the afternoon the case was over before the prosecutors even finished, and we won! What an incredible lawyer you are!I will be grateful forever to you. Your work has given my son a second chance. He left the courtroom today with a whole new perspective on life…thanks to you!Very sincerely,

- Susan Ellis

unless you are already a petty criminal with countless B and C misdemeanors and a misdemeanor A pending, a DWI charge might not really matter much – for all the others counts: Fight it with all you got – get the best professional to your side you can find!Why should you? A simple google search “Texas DWI penalties” will give you an idea what you are looking at: prison, probation, fines, classes, ignition interlock, insurance rate skyrockets and a criminal record for life (yes – this can happen even for a first time DWI in Texas) Now if you read until this point you probably are charged with a DWI (or simply board) and you are shopping for a lawyer – so some basic guidance:a) Same as in real life: You want to be surrounded by people who know what they are talking about. Nobody likes people who constantly brag around, through around the usual business buzz words which doesn’t mean anything. So: Get somebody who is specialized in this field, means if 50% or more of his work is in the field of defending DWI’s that’s probably a good indicator– Mark is one of them – talk to him you will see!b) Educate yourself – thanks to a wonderful innovation by DARPA (which you are using in this moment) you can read all about it: What happened the night before, what’s a SFT, what is a legal stop, how does an Intoxilyzer 5000 work and what flaws does it have, possible plea bargain options (not so tempting ones in TX anyway) – read the stuff, it’s out there and discuss it with your attorney – if he doesn’t want or can’t answer your questions, that’s a pretty good indicator that your sitting in the wrong office, run!– Mark WILL answer your questions – and I’m convinced you cannot surprise him with a question in your case that he can’t answer or will find an answer for you!c) Your lawyer should – more or less – from the beginning be willing to take your case to Trial, all the way. What do you have to lose? If you are a BAC 0.28 candidate and you plea it down to a misdemeanor B it technically looks better on paper – but it will still follow you for life (most employers wouldn’t even consider the difference or know it – a DWI is a DWI…) If you are a BAC 0.09 candidate your chances are even better – (did you know the Intoxilyzer 5000 gives himself a +-0.02 calibration margin? What now, is a BAC 0.09 and hour after driving now under the legal limit? Guess what, the state will state “off course NOT! The magic machine proved he’s Intoxicated and guilty!” That’s why you need a lawyer on your side who is willing to take it to trial!– Mark is a trial lawyer – those people don’t want to plea out, they need the courtroom as their stage, that’s what they love to do, that’s what they are good at – so let him do it for you!d) Money / Costs – completely neglect. This is not the time for price comparison. You are not out there to shop for new hardwood floor for your living room – you are out there to get the best possible outcome in a situation which initial will hurt you if convicted pretty bad (financially), possible cost you your job, destroy your reputation and will follow you around for the rest of your natural life.– Mark will not overcharge you for his service, in my opinion you are getting a great deal. If you have the feeling you cannot afford a lawyer like Mark put it into perspective: if you hire a $500 lawyer and plead guilty maybe to a DWI misdemeanor B, you will pay much more over the years in court costs, classes, probation fees, DPS surcharges, insurance and and and… But if you hire Mark, you have one of the best at your side, you have a real chance – off course Mark isn’t a magic wizard who can make everything go away in a moment’s notice, but 5,10,20 years down the road you don’t want to think “oh boy, I wish I would have fought this thing more aggressively back then…” I was already a bit into my case when I met Mark. Mark has a can do attitude, does not try to beat around the bush and most importantly: He looks at things, tries different avenues, seeks out weaknesses in the case base on the evidence presented – if you meet him, you will have the same experience. During our meetings we discussed alternatives and other options e.g. expert witnesses, jury trial, bench trial, plea agreement (even if he didn’t like that – Mark doesn’t want to plea, he wants to win for his clients)And here is the outcome:A clear acquittal – NOT GUILTY(even better than a dismissal which technically can be reopened by the DA within the statute of limitations – if I understood that right – Not guilty means you are not guilty, case expunged – that’s the end of it!)Mark’s services helped me to get the best possible outcome you can expect when you are charged with a (DWI / DUI) crime and I hope I will never see him again….. (under such circumstances J ) –

- Daniel

I would never use or recommend anyone else for anybody else for a criminal manner.

- Cory M.

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