Short-Term Consequences for Richmond Drug Offenses 

Drug offenses can have both long and short-term consequences for those who are arrested. If you want to know more about the short-term consequences of Richmond drug offenses, speak with an accomplished drug attorney that could answer your questions. A qualified lawyer could mitigate the severity of the consequences that a person may face.

Jail Time as a Consequence of a Drug Offense

Jail time is one of the short-term consequences of Richmond drug offenses that has the most impact.The initial consequences are going to be that initial arrest. On top of that, the arrested individual is going to be in the police’s system and on their radar. The cops are always going to be looking at the person in a funny light whenever anything happens.

Paying Bond

One of the short-term consequences of Richmond drug offenses is paying a bond to bond out if someone is given that option. Even though a person has to go to jail, they may be given a bond. If the person is given a secure bond, that means they are going to have to pay money to get out of jail, which is something that nobody wants to do. That is another consequence. Depending on how long someone sits in jail and can make a bond if they have a job, they will more than likely lose it. Many employers do not like to have people on their payroll who have any kind of criminal record or run-in with the police.

If someone cannot make a bond, they cannot go to work. If they cannot go to work, they are going to lose their job. That is another initial consequence. They are going to lose their job and going to make their family very upset because they have to pay money to get them out of jail or just finding out that they are involved in this type of activity.

Determining the Severity of Short-Term Consequences

The schedule of the drug is going to play a big part in determining the severity of short-term consequences for Richmond drug offenses. The lower the schedule, the more dangerous the drug is considered and the more severe the initial consequences are going to be.

For example, if someone is charged with a possession of marijuana, they are likely not going to be arrested. The cops are going to give the individual a ticket called a summons and they are going to be able to go home. If someone is a college student, they will not face jail time or have to post bond. Instead, the student will just have to come to court on their court date. The short-term consequences mostly involve interacting with law enforcement. The same is for scheduled substances VI through III. More than likely, the person is only getting a summons.

Short-Term Consequences for Misdemeanor Offenses

If someone is charged with possessing, considering this is all under the umbrella of a simple possession, or charged with selling drugs, these go out the window unless it is marijuana. If someone is charged with a low-level marijuana possession with intent to distribute, like they are selling dime bags to the kids in their class, they are probably going to be in the same situation as somebody charged with simple possession. They are not going to jam the person up too much. They are going to write the person a ticket because it is still a Class 1 misdemeanor. They are going to have to go to court, but that is it. They are going to take their stash and it is going to suck, but that will be it as far as short term.

Consequences for Felony Offenses

Possession of a Schedule I or Schedule II substance is a felony offense. If an individual is charged with a felony they will be arrested and will have to worry about bond. They might have to post bond or a recognizance bond, meaning that the person would not have to pay for their release. They are still going to have to be in jail until they are in front of a judge or a magistrate that gives that recognizance bond. The short-term consequences for Richmond drug offenses that are felonies are often more severe.