Seattle Methamphetamine Lawyers

Washington state and Seattle authorities are tough on offenses related to methamphetamine. If you have been charged with possession of methamphetamine or meth manufacturing, you will need help from our team of aggressive Seattle methamphetamine lawyers.

The state of Washington has been combatting methamphetamine manufacturing, distribution, and use since the early 2000s. In the early stages of the meth epidemic, Washington was a major area for meth production. Ultimately, the state shut down and cleaned up thousands of labs – something it still does at a lesser rate. State and local authorities continue to take the creation of the drug very seriously for a number of reasons beyond its highly addictive nature. Meth creates hazards for those who make it and people nearby. The labs are known to explode and catch fire causing severe injuries and fatalities. Even without a major incident, the production of meth pollutes environments and can harm individuals living nearby. Contact our Seattle methamphetamine lawyers from Emerald City Law Group to learn more about your rights and your potential defenses.

In the face of felony charges, our Seattle drug lawyers in Washington will protect your rights and fight had to maintain your freedom. Call today at 206-973-0407 today or submit a request online to discuss your situation during a free and confidential consultation.

Methamphetamine in Washington

Based on Washington’s Violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act (VUCSA), methamphetamine is a Schedule II drug, which means it has been designated as having a high potential for abuse and dependence with little-to-no medical value. The VUCSA’s Schedule II covers opium, opiates, coca leaves, and all of their derivatives, numerous hallucinogenic substances, depressants, and stimulants like methamphetamine. It also includes immediate precursors to some of these drugs, including the materials, compounds, and mixtures needed to manufacture meth.

Methamphetamine-Related Offenses

Based on Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 69.50.401, it is illegal to manufacture, deliver, or possess with the intent to manufacture or deliver any controlled substance. If you are charged with manufacturing, delivering, or possessing meth – including its salts, isomers, and salts of isomers – with the intent to do one of these actions, then you can be charged with a felony.

If you had less than two kilograms of meth under your control, then you are typically charged with a Class B felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $25,000. If you had a greater amount of meth, you can be imprisoned for up to 10 years and fined up to $100,000 for the first two kilograms and then $50 for each additional gram. No matter the amount, your fine will be a minimum of $3,000, which will go to the law enforcement agency responsible for cleaning up any property used to manufacture the drug.

Distributing Meth to Minors

RCW 69.50.406 outlines the offense of distributing drugs to persons under 18 years of age. If there is evidence you violated RCW 69.50.401 by distributing meth, including its salts, isomers, or salts of isomers to anyone under the age of 18, you will be charged with a Class A felony, punishable by up to twice the prison term described in RCW 69.50.401 and the fine authorized in that statute.

Possession With Intent to Manufacture

Meth has become such as problem across the U.S. that many states target the substances that make it possible and not just the end product. Because meth can be created from a number of household substances and over-the-counter drugs, Washington tightly regulates many of these materials. To this end, you can be convicted of a crime for possessing substances that could be used to manufacture meth if there is evidence that your intention was to create the drug. More specifically, under RCW 69.50.440, it is illegal for you to possess:

1. Ephedrine or any of its salts, isomers, or salts of isomers,
2. Pseudoephedrine or any of its salts, isomers, or salts of isomers, or
3. Pressurized ammonia gas solution with the intent to manufacture meth.

This is a Class B felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine up to $25,000. Like with other meth-related offenses, $3,000 of the fine cannot be suspended and must go to the law enforcement agency that has to clean up the environment or substances that were being or would have been used to manufacture the drug.

What Does it Mean to Manufacture Meth?

Meth is not naturally derived from plants like many other drugs. Instead, it is manufactured in a lab. While much of the drug sold in the U.S. is created in “superlabs” run by cartels, the drug can also be made in smaller environments. In some cases, meth is made entirely from household products and over-the-counter drugs, like cold medicine, in people’s kitchens or makeshift labs. While mass production in superlabs may benefit from laboratory and chemistry equipment, homegrown operations often make due with makeshift equipment. Items as simple as camping stoves and pop bottles might be used.

You may be arrested and charged with manufacturing meth if a law enforcement agency finds you have purchased a number of the products needed to produce the drug yourself. This is highly likely if there is evidence you have large quantities of these substances or have purchased a great deal of these materials from multiple sources in a short period of time.

Talk to the Seattle Methamphetamine Lawyers at Emerald City Law Group Today

Don’t delay in contacting the Seattle methamphetamine lawyers from our law firm if this happens. Additionally, any evidence of a small lab area, whether it is in a vehicle, house, apartment, hotel room, or another type of structure may also lead to charges.

For legal representation, call one of our Seattle criminal defense attorneys or personal injury lawyers in Seattle at 206-973-0407. We can discuss your specific case in a free initial consultation.