Drug Possession Lawyer Rhode Island
Charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance in Rhode Island?
For years, Rhode Island drug crime lawyer Tom Thomasian has been aggressively defending the rights and liberties of his clients charged with possession of a controlled substance throughout Rhode Island. From Woonsocket to Westerly and Providence to Narragansett, The Law Office of Thomas C. Thomasian, Esq. has helped people successfully move on with their lives while keeping their reputations intact.
If you or a family member have been arrested for possession of a controlled substance, do not hesitate and call the firm right away to set up your free consultation.
Possession of a Controlled Substance Laws in Rhode Island
In Rhode Island and Massachusetts, possessing a controlled substance can have severe consequences. The Uniform Controlled Substances Act contains the laws regarding possession of a controlled substance in Rhode Island. Under Title 21, Chapter 28, Section 4.01(c)(2)(i):
- A person convicted of possessing a controlled substance such as heroin, cocaine, or suboxone can be imprisoned for up to three years for a first offense and be fined up to five thousand ($5,000.00) dollars.
- A person has a previous conviction for possessing a controlled substance and receives a second conviction for possession of a controlled substance, the term of imprisonment doubles to up to six years of imprisonment and up to a ten thousand ($10,000.00) dollar fine.
- For a third or subsequent offense, the maximum punishment triples to nine years in prison and the fine increases to up to fifteen thousand ($15,000.00) dollars.
If a person has three prior convictions for possessing a controlled substance and that person gets arrested a fourth time for possession of a controlled substance, the maximum amount of punishment that person can receive will be up to nine years in prison and a fine not to exceed $15,000.00. After the third conviction, regardless of how many more arrests a person has for possession of a controlled substance, the jail time and fines do not increase.
Defense Strategies for Drug Possession Charges
Possessing a controlled substance is a severe offense in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Because this offense is serious, only a skilled defense attorney should be consulted. Just because a person has been arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance, doesn't mean they will have to enter a guilty plea. In order to arrest a person for possession of a controlled substance, the prosecution has to show that law enforcement lawfully discovered the drugs.
If a person's constitutional rights were violated in obtaining the drugs, the evidence seized as a result of the constitutional violation will be suppressed thus excluding them from trial against the accused. If the drugs in a possession of a controlled substance charge are suppressed, usually the case must be dismissed.
Defense for Possession of a Controlled Substance Cases in RI
If you have been charged with possession of a controlled substance, it is important to contact Tom right away. Tom and his firm will be able to immediately and expertly review the incident report associated with your case in order to determine whether law enforcement violated your constitutional rights against search and seizure. The Law Office of Thomas C. Thomasian, Esq. knows the law regarding search and seizure and can put this knowledge to work for you right away. Do not waste any time thinking about whether your rights were violated; call Tom and his firm for a free analysis of your case.
View our recent case results here.
To see if our RI possession of a controlled substance lawyer can help, contact The Law Office of Thomas C. Thomasian, Esq. at 401.312.4385.

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