You may be charged with intent to distribute alongside your drug possession charges. This means you were planning to give or sell the drugs to others.
If convicted, you will likely face more severe penalties than if you were charged with simple possession. But, how can it be proven that you intended to sell or distribute the drugs? Here is what you need to know.
Evidence can be direct or circumstantial
The prosecution must prove that you had plans to sell or distribute the drugs for a conviction. They can show this through direct or circumstantial evidence.
You may have confessed that you intended to sell the drugs or sold them to an undercover police officer. Additionally, the quantity of drugs in your possession may have been too much for personal use, and there were packaging materials, scales, weapons or large amounts of cash. Remember, the police do not have to catch you in the act of selling or moving the drugs.
With such evidence, the prosecution may argue that you had the intent to sell the drugs, and you may be convicted of the crime.
Why your defense matters
The stakes are ever so high when you are charged with any drug offense in Texas. You may end up behind bars for many years, pay hefty fines and deal with the collateral damages of a conviction. The importance of a solid legal defense strategy cannot be overlooked.
Fortunately, there are several defense strategies you can use when going against your drug charges, from entrapment to asserting that the drugs did not belong to you. However, there is no ideal defense. Everything depends on the unique aspects of your drug charges, which explains the need for experienced legal guidance.