Attorney Gerson gets mandatory drug charges sentence of 3-5 years reduced to 12 months probation
My client was an undergraduate student at the University of Pittsburgh and was charged with Possession with Intent to Deliver Controlled Substances, Conspiracy to Traffic in Controlled Substances, Delivery of Marijuana, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Clonazepam and Amphetamine, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. My client foolishly permitted a friend involved in drug trafficking to stash his drugs in client’s dorm room. When campus police requested permission to conduct a warrantless search, client consented, resulting in the seizure of a substantial quantity of drugs from personal items that clearly belonged to my client’s friend. Forensic analysis of several laptop computers ultimately confirmed my client’s innocence as to drug sales, and I was successful in negotiating a withdrawal of all originally-filed felony and misdemeanor drug charges and a sentencing recommendation of only 12-months of probation in consideration of a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Marijuana, an ungraded misdemeanor. My successful negotiation was significant in that, as originally charged, my client faced a 2-4 year “school zone” sentencing enhancement,” as well as an additional 1-year mandatory minimum sentence on the Possession with Intent to Deliver Clonazepam or Amphetamine count.