Chicago Drug Crimes Lawyer

Drug charges are among the most common and tragic types of criminal cases handled in Illinois courts. Drug abuse can ruin lives and tear families apart — and those who face drug-related charges also face some of the harshest penalties for any type of crime. An Illinois drug crime defense lawyer is the best option to defend your rights.

Many drug offenses are felonies that lead to life-altering consequences such as:

  • Lengthy jail or penitentiary sentences
  • Fines that may be financially devastating
  • Losing eligibility for federal financial aid if you’re a college student or want to get a degree
  • A permanent criminal record as a drug offender that can impede your ability to get a job or rent a place to live
  • Loss or denial of a professional license to practice law or medicine, or work as a nurse, pharmacist, teacher, or another type of licensed professional
  • Losing child custody or visitation rights
  • Losing your immigration visa or green card, being denied citizenship, or being deported if you’re not an American citizen

People charged with drug offenses often are suffering from drug addiction or dependency and can be rehabilitated with appropriate treatment, but need the advocacy of a skilled and compassionate Chicago drug defense attorney to get them the help they need.

If you’ve been charged with a drug offense, you may have options for avoiding some or all of these consequences or reducing your charge or penalty. An experienced Chicago drug defense attorney can listen to your story and explain your options for fighting your drug charge and preserving your rights and your freedom.

Dedicated Defense For Your Illinois Drug Charge

Chicago drug crimes lawyer Michael S. O’Meara is a skilled lawyer with more than two decades of legal experience. He previously worked as an assistant state’s attorney in Cook County prosecuting a wide variety of criminal offenses, including serious drug charges.

He also has more than a decade of experience as a criminal defense lawyer, including significant trial experience and a track record of obtaining the best possible outcome for clients charged with drug offenses and other crimes.

The combination of prosecution and defense experience gives O’Meara an advantageous perspective on criminal cases and how they work — particularly in Chicago and the surrounding area. He has a thorough knowledge of the issues involved in drug cases, including the complex system of penalties for drug offenses and how to challenge searches and seizures that often form the basis of drug prosecutions.

O’Meara offers a free consultation and provides a straightforward assessment of your case and your options for a defense, as well as explaining what to expect from the Illinois court process. Call O’Meara Law LLC today at 312-909-0706 to schedule an appointment to find out what he can do for you.

Common Types of Illinois Drug Charges

Attorney Michael O’Meara has worked on cases involving virtually all types of Illinois crimes and is skilled at crafting defense strategies designed to obtain the best possible result for your drug charge. Some common types of charges he can handle include:

  • Cocaine Possession
  • Cocaine Sale, Manufacturing, and Possession with Intent
  • Methamphetamine Possession
  • Methamphetamine Sale, Manufacturing, and Possession with Intent
  • Ecstasy Possession
  • Ecstasy Sale, Manufacturing, and Possession with Intent
  • Heroin Possession
  • Heroin Sale, Manufacturing, and Possession with Intent
  • Marijuana Crimes
  • Federal Drug Crimes

In Illinois, the severity of the charge and penalties increases with the amount of a particular drug involved. Some drug offenses can be punished with as much as 60 years in a state penitentiary and up to $500,000 in fines.

However, these cases often are based on flawed searches conducted by law enforcement or the use of questionable information from confidential informants. If this has happened in your case, a qualified Chicago drug crimes lawyer can fight to protect your rights and may be able to get your charge dismissed or reduced.

Additionally, if you have no prior criminal history, you may be eligible to participate in a deferred prosecution program that gives you a chance to undergo substance abuse treatment or perform other requirements in lieu of a conviction and jail or prison sentence. Such a program is offered in Cook County, and a skilled Chicago drug crimes lawyer will know how to prepare an argument and evidence to support your request for deferred prosecution.

If you’ve been charged with a drug crime, don’t wait to call O’Meara Law LLC at 312-909-0706 to learn more about what he can do to fight your charge and what to expect in court. With our help, you may be able to put the stress and uncertainty of a drug charge behind you and move on with your life.

Important Topics in Illinois Drug Defense

A drug charge can cause a significant amount of worry and anxiety. Just trying to understand your charge and the possible penalties can be confusing, not to mention the complex legal bureaucracy you now face. If you’re found guilty, the consequences can haunt you for life. Under those circumstances, you likely have many questions about your future and how an Illinois criminal defense lawyer can help you.

Here is some information on a few of the most common questions and issues in drug cases. However, each case is unique and we suggest that you contact O’Meara Law LLC for answers to specific questions about your charge.

  • Consequences of an Illinois Drug Offense — Learn more about the many ways that a drug offense can affect your life in ways both expected and unexpected.
  • Why Hire a Chicago Drug Defense Lawyer? — Drug cases often involve complex evidence and may be the result of lengthy investigations involving the use of wiretaps, searches, and confidential informants. A lawyer can help you navigate this complexity and the legal challenges that go hand-in-hand with fighting a drug charge. Learn more about how an experienced Chicago drug defense lawyer can help you.
  • Common Illinois Drug Defenses — Successful defense of drug charges often involves a thorough understanding of the technicalities of requirements involving investigative processes and the use of searches and seizures by law enforcement, as well as how illegal drugs are identified. Learn more about some of the common strategies used in fighting drug charges in Illinois and how O’Meara Law LLC can put these to work for you.
  • Schedule I and II Drugs — Offenses involving Schedule I and II drugs involve the most serious penalties if you’re convicted. Learn more about which drugs are listed as Schedule I and II controlled substances and why they’re categorized this way.
  • Schedule III, IV and V Drugs — Offenses involving Schedule III, IV, and V drugs may be less serious than those involving Schedule I and II drugs, but still can have a major impact on your life if you’re convicted. Learn more about the controlled substances listed on these schedules.

Copyright @2017 O'Meara Law LLC

O’Meara Law LLC and this website are owned and controlled by Michael S. O’Meara, a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois. The information and visual assets on this website are for informational purposes only, are not legal advice or opinion, and do not create an attorney client relationship at anytime. Photos and videos on this website contain portrayals of clients by non-clients, re-enactment of scenes, pictures and persons which are not actual or authentic and depictions which are a dramatization. The information is not intended to create, and any receipt thereof does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship, nor does your use of any part of this website create or constitute an attorney-client privilege. No person or organization should act upon any information on this site without first seeking professional legal counsel, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney. O’Meara Law LLC cannot and does not represent you until after the client intake process is completed, and we reserve the right to accept or decline representing any person or organization in any matter. Do not send us any confidential information about any matter until you receive a notice from us advising you that we represent you.