Okeechobee Prescription Drug Crime Defense Attorneys
A conviction on prescription drug charges in Florida can lead to prison time and other long-term consequences, so if you or someone you know has been charged with a prescription drug crime in the Okeechobee area, it’s time to contact The Law Offices of David Golden, P.A. for a committed legal defense. As prescription drug use has soared throughout Florida, district attorneys across the state have begun to aggressively prosecute prescription drug crimes, often seeking penalties far in excess of the severity of the charges.
To avoid the severe penalties that Florida courts often impose for prescription drug crimes, you need an experienced criminal defense lawyer on your side. David Golden and the team at The Law Offices of David Golden, P.A. understands the law concerning prescription drugs. They know how serious the charges are, and they know how to fight them. With two decades of experience in Florida courts, Attorney Golden and his team will work hard to get the charges against you reduced or dropped.
If you or someone you know has been charged with a prescription drug crime in Okeechobee County, you don’t have to fight the charges alone. The Law Offices of David Golden, P.A. can build the best legal defense possible and will work to reduce the impact these charges have on your life and livelihood. All you have to do is contact us at 863-220-4400 to schedule a confidential case evaluation with our team today.
How The Law Offices of David Golden, P.A. Can Help
With such aggressive prosecution of prescription drug cases, your future hangs on the experience, the tenacity, and the competency of the defense lawyer you hire. A successful defense demands a criminal attorney who understands both Florida drug laws as well as the context of your particular case — and knows how to effectively undermine the prosecution’s arguments against you.
This is a lot to expect from a criminal defense lawyer, but David Golden of The Law Offices of David Golden, P.A. has proven these qualities over decades of practice. With more than 20 years of experience, Mr. Golden has a long list of legal successes, both in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. He’s a rigorous defender who has secured extraordinary deals for his clients, including many instances in which the charges were dismissed entirely.
His dedicated defense of his clients earned him a place as Avvo’s Clients’ Choice for Criminal Defense and has allowed him to maintain an Avvo Superb rating and a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating. With The Law Offices of David Golden, P.A., you know you’ve put your trust in the best lawyer in the region.
Prescription Drug Charges in Okeechobee County
Prescription drug charges can take many different forms. Understanding the specifics of your case is the first step towards putting together the right defense to fight those charges. With that in mind, here are some of the prescription drug charges we commonly handle:
- Altering prescriptions: One of the most common ways to acquire prescription drugs illegally is by making changes to prescriptions to include more refills or a higher dosage. Any change made to a prescription is a crime in Florida.
- Forging prescriptions: An even more dramatic alteration, this involves an outright fabrication of a prescription in an effort to get it filled by a pharmacist.
- Selling prescriptions: Selling a legitimate prescription to another individual is illegal, regardless of the circumstances of the sale.
- Distributing prescriptions: Also illegal is simply giving away or otherwise distributing a prescription. The prescription must be filled and used by the individual who has received it from a doctor.
- Doctor shopping: This is a less obvious crime, but one that is equally severe. Doctor shopping involves visiting multiple doctors and attempting to mislead them about previous prescriptions in an effort to get more prescriptions written when they are not medically necessary.
- Distributing prescription drugs: Sharing prescription medication, even when no money is exchanged, is still a crime in Florida. Prescription drugs must be used by the individual who has been given the prescription by a doctor.
- Illegal possession of prescription drugs: Not only is the distribution of prescription drugs illegal, but possession of prescription drugs without a prescription is also illegal. In other words, both the person sharing and the person receiving the drugs are committing a crime, according to Florida law.
- Illegal manufacturing of prescription drugs: Attempting to create prescription drugs on your own—whether for personal use, for distribution, or for sale—is a crime.
The penalties for conviction on any of the above charges depend on how a drug is “scheduled.” Florida puts drugs of different severity into different schedules, which then determine how serious the crime is. For prescription drugs, the scheduling includes:
- Schedule I: Drugs with no acknowledged medical use that are a high risk for abuse.
- Schedule II: Drugs with a very high risk of abuse and with strict medical use. This includes many of the pain medications often involved in prescription drug crimes, such as Oxycontin and Vicodin.
- Schedule III: Drugs less likely to be abused and with more medical uses. These include codeine, Hydrocodone, and anabolic steroids.
- Schedule IV: Drugs with even less abuse risk and with many acknowledged medical uses, including Xanax, Valium, and others.
No matter the charge and no matter the schedule of the drug, The Law Offices of David Golden, P.A. can help you develop a quality defense to fight against the penalties the prosecution is seeking. A conviction can alter the course of your life forever, leading to time in prison, large fines, and a permanent criminal record. The best way to avoid these penalties is by enlisting the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Get the Legal Help You Need with Us
If you or someone you care about is at risk of losing their freedom to a prescription drug conviction in Okeechobee, Taylor Creek, Fort Drum, or other areas of Okeechobee County, call 863-220-4400 now so The Law Offices of David Golden, P.A. can start building your defense immediately. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so contact us right away to schedule your free consultation.