California law prohibits a broad range of conduct related to manufacturing drugs.
Although it has been off the air for several years now, Breaking Bad is still considered one of the best television shows made. The show follows a high school chemistry teacher who decides to start manufacturing methamphetamine after being diagnosed with cancer and discovering that his insurance won’t cover the cost of treatments. It follows the many ups and downs of life for the formerly uptight teacher as he learns the drug trade — including his attempts to evade the law.
While the show paints an often humorous look at drug manufacturing, in real life, lawmakers take this crime seriously. In California, manufacturing drugs, narcotics or controlled substances is illegal. According to a drug defense lawyer Los Angeles, CA, the law goes even further, making it a crime to knowingly participate in any step of processing a drug.
Under California law, manufacturing a controlled substance is a felony offense. It is punishable by between three and seven years in jail, and a fine of $50,000. If you simply offer to manufacture drugs, you can also be charged with a felony — and sent to prison for between three and five years. Furthermore, if kids are present, live in or are harmed in the location where you manufacture drugs, you will be sentenced to an additional term of up to five years. A judge can also tack on additional time if you manufacture large quantities of substances that contain methamphetamines, PCP or GHB, if someone suffers great bodily injury or death, or if you have certain prior drug-related convictions.
So what exactly is drug manufacturing under the law? As a drug defense lawyer Los Angeles, CA can explain, California law prohibits manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, deriving, processing, preparing, or offering to engaging in any of these acts with respect to any controlled substance. A controlled substance is defined as one whose manufacture, possession and use is regulated by the federal Controlled Substances Act. This may include heroin, marijuana, PCP, LSD, meth, ecstasy, and/or cocaine.
Even if you don’t finish the manufacturing process, you can still be charged with a violation of the law. If you knowingly participate in one of the steps involved in the process, then you can still be charged with the crime. For example, if you purchased the chemicals used to make drugs, along with the supplies, and downloaded instructions for how to manufacture a controlled substances, you could still be charged with the crime, even if you did not actually make the drugs.
There are legal defense to the crime of drug manufacturing. For example, if your actions were merely preparatory, but you never actually attempted to make the drugs, your drug defense lawyer Los Angeles, CA could argue that you did not violate the law. There may also be legal defenses to the charges, such as if the police gained evidence through illegal search and seizure, or if you were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Drug manufacturing is a serious California criminal charge that requires the assistance of a skilled drug defense lawyer Los Angeles, CA. The Chambers Law firm can help. We will aggressively advocate for you and help you get the best possible outcome for your case. Contact us today at 714-760-4088 or dchambers@clfca.com to schedule a free initial consultation.
