Surprising Federal Offenses: 3 Crimes You Were Unaware Of

When Does Selling Drugs Become a Felony in Arizona?

The sale of any dangerous drug or narcotic, or even having “intent to sell” can be a felony charge. This includes dangerous drugs such as ecstasy, methamphetamines, LSD, along with narcotics such as heroin, cocaine, morphine, etc.

Under Prop 27, marijuana is now legal, and some prior convictions may be eligible for expungement. Contact our attorneys for more information.

Penalties for Sale of Illegal Drugs

You may be surprised to learn that the sale of any illegal drugs will result in a felony charge in Arizona. However, the type and quantity of the drug being sold will drastically impact the severity of the felony.

The following are the criminal charge classifications for selling drugs:

• Selling prescription drugs without a license or permit: class 6 felony;
• Selling less than two pounds of marijuana: class 4 felony;
• Selling at least two pounds of marijuana, but less than four pounds: class 3 felony;
• Selling four or more pounds of marijuana: class 2 felony;
• Selling a narcotic drug (heroin, meth, cocaine, etc.): class 2 felony.

What’s the difference between an Arizona class 6 felony and a class 2 felony? The presumptive sentence for a class 6 felony will result in a year of imprisonment. The presumptive sentence for a class 2 felony will result in five years of imprisonment. Therefore, you could argue that the punishment for a class 2 felony is five times worse than that of a class 6 felony!

Representation Matters

As you can see, selling any drug will automatically result in a felony charge; however, with the right representation, your charge could be reduced or thrown out entirely. If you need experienced representation for any Phoenix drug charge, look no further than Suzuki Law Offices!