Those facing drug charges may choose plea deals

A man in Illinois was accused of committing a drug crime back in June. Rather than going to trial, he recently decided to plead guilty to the crime of unlawfully possessing between 30 and 100 grams of the drug cannabis. However, anyone in Illinois who faces drug charges has the right to defend himself or herself vigorously at trial.

The man was arrested after police stopped him on the road. At the time of the traffic stop, he was riding in a car. Police said they discovered on the passenger side’s floorboard a small bag that contained 63 grams of cannabis.

As part of his guilty plea, the man was given two years of probation. He was also required to pay $100 plus costs as well as cover a $300 drug assessment. He did end up being given credit for a couple of days he served in jail. As part of his plea agreement, a charge of resisting arrest was dropped.

Just because somebody faces drug charges in Illinois does not mean he or she actually committed drug-related crimes. Those accused of committing drug crimes may choose to fight their drug charges in court, where prosecutors have to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt before convictions can be handed down. However, if the evidence that the prosecutors plan to furnish at trial appears to be strong, then pursuing a plea deal may be a more expedient option, as it may lead to lesser charges and thus a more lenient sentence. A close look at the evidence may be a major area of focus for the criminal defense in this type of criminal law proceeding.

Source: wjbdradio.com, “Salem Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Charge”, Aug. 19, 2017