Los Angeles Methamphetamine Defense Attorney

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Methamphetamine Defense Attorney in Los Angeles

If you have been charged with a methamphetamine offense in Los Angeles the charge you are facing and the penalties attached to it depend entirely on what law enforcement believes you were doing with the drug. Simple possession of meth carries very different exposure than possession for sale, transportation, or manufacturing and the defense strategy changes significantly depending on which charge was filed. At The Law Offices of Arash Hashemi our criminal defense attorney has spent over 20 years defending clients against methamphetamine and drug charges throughout Los Angeles County. Contact our office today at (310) 448-1529 for a free confidential consultation.

Methamphetamine Charges in California — What You Are Facing

Methamphetamine charges in California fall under four main statutes. Health and Safety Code 11377 covers simple possession of meth, crystal meth, or ice for personal use and is a misdemeanor in most cases following the passage of Proposition 47. Health and Safety Code 11378 covers possession of methamphetamine for sale and is a felony carrying 16 months, 2 years, or 3 years in state prison. Health and Safety Code 11379 covers transportation and distribution of meth and is a felony carrying 2, 3, or 4 years in state prison with enhanced sentences when the transportation crossed county lines. Health and Safety Code 11379.6 covers manufacturing methamphetamine and is one of the most seriously prosecuted drug felonies in California carrying 3, 5, or 7 years in state prison. Understanding which charge was filed and why the prosecution believes the facts support that specific charge is the first thing our criminal defense attorney analyzes in every case.

Possession of Meth vs Possession for Sale in California 

The distinction between simple possession and possession for sale is where most methamphetamine cases are contested. Law enforcement uses the quantity of the drug, the presence of packaging materials, scales, large amounts of cash, and text messages on the defendant’s phone to argue that the meth was intended for sale rather than personal use. Our criminal defense attorney challenges every factor the prosecution relies on to elevate a simple possession charge to a possession for sale charge because the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony carrying years in state prison is often determined by that single distinction.

Diversion Programs for Meth Charges in Los Angeles

For clients facing simple possession charges under HSC 11377 diversion is frequently available and it is one of the most important options to explore immediately. Proposition 36 allows first and second-time nonviolent drug offenders to receive treatment instead of jail time. Penal Code 1000 pretrial diversion allows eligible defendants to complete a drug treatment program and have the charge dismissed entirely upon successful completion. Neither program results in a conviction on your record when completed successfully and both are available to defendants who have no prior drug sales convictions. Getting into the right diversion program requires early engagement with prosecutors and the court and our criminal defense attorney pursues every available diversion option from the first day of representation.

How We Defend Methamphetamine Charges in Los Angeles

The defense in every methamphetamine case starts with how law enforcement found the drug. Most meth arrests begin with a traffic stop or a search of a vehicle or home. When that stop lacked reasonable suspicion or the search lacked probable cause the methamphetamine can be suppressed and without the physical evidence the prosecution cannot proceed. Text messages, phone records, and digital communications used to support a sales charge are also subject to suppression when they were obtained through an unlawful search of a device. Our criminal defense attorney files suppression motions in every case where the search is legally vulnerable because suppression is the most direct path to dismissal in methamphetamine cases.

When the charge involves manufacturing under HSC 11379.6 the investigation has typically been ongoing for months before any arrest is made. Law enforcement uses surveillance, confidential informants, and search warrants targeting premises and equipment. Every aspect of that investigation needs to be reviewed for constitutional compliance and our criminal defense attorney begins that analysis from the first consultation because manufacturing cases are built on complex evidence that requires early and aggressive defense work.

Attorney Arash Hashemi has defended clients against methamphetamine charges in every major courthouse throughout Los Angeles County for over 20 years including the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center, the Airport Courthouse, the Van Nuys Courthouse, the Compton Courthouse, and the San Fernando Courthouse. He understands how the District Attorney’s office at each filing location approaches meth cases, which arguments carry the most weight at each venue, and how to present the strongest possible case for diversion, dismissal, or reduction of charges. Every case is handled personally by Attorney Hashemi with no associates and no handoffs.

Contact a Los Angeles Methamphetamine Defense Attorney Today

If you have been charged with a methamphetamine offense in Los Angeles contact our office immediately. The earlier our criminal defense attorney is analyzing the charge, the evidence, and the diversion options in your case the more options are available. Contact our office today for a free confidential consultation.

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We are conveniently located in the Westside Towers serving clients facing methamphetamine and drug charges across Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, the San Fernando Valley, Long Beach, and all surrounding communities. Your defense starts the moment you call.