GRASSROOTS NY 2016:
Criminal Possession of a Controlled
Substance in the 7th Degree
charges for many!
Grassroots Music Festival was this past weekend, it is a Trumansburg tradition to go relax and enjoy the music. Drinking alcohol and smoking pot are the drugs du jour or at least they used to be. These days the kids are dabbling in Molly, coke, and of all things Adderall. Mixing them all up is not a good recipe.
Even Law Enforcement has Their Limits
People seem to have developed a laissez faire attitude to walking around the festival and partaking. These days feeling as though the police don’t care (and won’t arrest) about what happens at Grass Roots is not true.
Pot Arrests are Down but Drug Arrests are Up
In the past, we saw a more marijuana related offenses, DWI alcohol for those driving home, and even a few DWAI drugs charges for those driving home high and not drunk. It appears that this year marks the first time that the most common arrest was for Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th degree. That means having something other than marijuana in your possession although concentrated forms of cannabis can also be charged as a controlled substance. In New York State, pot is not a controlled substance unless it is in a highly condensed form.
Possession in the 7th Degree Can Be Charged in a Number of Ways
The charge can also arise if you have prescription drugs in your possession without the script as in not in their original container. In New York, even legal drugs must be carried with proof that they are for you and not someone else.
Private Security Inside and Public Law Enforcement Outside
The festival is monitored in a number of ways both internally and externally.
Inside they have private security guards. They seem to look the other way with marijuana as long as it out of public view. They are not as forgiving for some of the other harder substances being used. That is the reason the police have been notified when people are displaying (or not keeping private) these other drugs.
Local law enforcement is on the look out for meth, heroin, acid, and cocaine. They stay posted right outside the gates of Grassroots to keep the peace, and to arrest those distributing or using these other drugs.
Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree is a Misdemeanor. It is punishable by up to a year in jail, three years of community monitoring and supervision, forced treatment and rehabilitation for a drug/alcohol problem, a zero tolerance for use of any alcohol and/or drugs for three years with surprise testing.
The biggest problem with any criminal drug charge is that your private life becomes open to public view and prosecutorial scrutiny.
If you have questions about Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in 7th degree charge or any other NY drug charges, call us: 607-229-5184
By Larry Newman
NEWMAN & CYR, PLLC
Copyright 2016
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DISCLAIMER: If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime, we strongly urge you to consult with a local, licensed criminal defense attorney to lessen the possible negative outcomes from the charge --including the potential loss of your freedom.
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