If you have been charged with a drug crime in Texas, you need a drug crime defense lawyer who can fight the government with determination. Defense attorney Paul Saputo is a highly experienced criminal defense lawyer and leads the trial team in fighting drug cases. Mr. Saputo’s defense work has been widely recognized, and he has been the trusted drug crimes defense lawyer for many serious people who want to fight back against drug prosecutions in both state and federal court.

Mr. Saputo has never worked for the government. In fact, he has always had a passion for fighting the government on drug cases. The lawyers at the Saputo Toufexis | Criminal Defense do not trust the government to play fair, and Mr. Saputo’s client on the most serious drug cases trust him because he has never been a prosecutor. Mr. Saputo knows the tactics and strategies prosecuting attorneys will use, and he knows how to protect you.

Not just a criminal defense lawyer, we are warriors fighting unjust and corrupt government prosecutions with a history of success and a reputation for tenacity, courage and legal ingenuity

Paul Saputo was voted one of the Three Best Rated Criminal Defense Lawyers in Dallas

Attorney Paul Saputo has handled many extremely complex drug cases, including possession, manufacture, delivery and trafficking of marijuana and controlled substances under Texas and federal laws.

Because drug crimes can result in serious felony convictions, our criminal law firm has developed aggressive strategies to protect our clients from drug crime convictions. When you hire Mr. Saputo as your drug crime defense lawyer, you benefit from the firm’s in-depth strategic research and development in drug crime defense, no matter how serious your charge.

Paul helped prove my fiance’s innocence! I like the fact that he is all about honesty and truth. We won our case and he did an excellent job in keeping my fiance informed throughout the process. Words cannot express how much we thank you!

– Client review posted on Avvo.com

As a client, you will also benefit from the entire firm. We have a team of dedicated professionals, including multiple paralegals, attorneys, an in-house investigator and external investigation staff. An in-depth and highly educated understanding of search and seizure law is just the beginning; we also hit the ground through our extensive investigatory experience and resources.

Are you fighting a charge for Drug Possession, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Delivery, Manufacture or other Drug Crime?

Unfortunately, police frequently arrest people who are guilty of nothing more than being in the wrong place or being with the wrong crowd. Drugs are easy to hide, and you might be right next to a stash of illegal drugs without even knowing it. And to make matters worse, the law does not make it easy to explain when someone “possesses” drugs. How close do the drugs have to be to you to possess them? What if you don’t know the drugs are there? What if the drugs belong to someone else? All of these are considerations that we take into account in preparing and defending your drug crimes case. You need to schedule an appointment with us to go over your case in detail. Once we have reviewed the facts of your you case, we can guide you through the process of beating a drug charge.

While simple possession of marijuana or possession of a controlled substance might be serious in and of itself (especially if you have been convicted before), more serious drug offenses include manufacturing or distribution of drugs. Law enforcement prioritizes these prosecutions for more in-depth investigation and use of resources.

If you have been accused of a drug crime, it is crucial that you hire a criminal defense attorney who regularly handles drug crime cases and is passionate about defending clients accused of drug crimes.

No matter what the situation, you should protect your rights. We discuss below some frequent situations that we encounter in defending people charged with drug crime offenses, like your rights to not be searched without consent and other constitutional rights.

What you should know about Drug Crime Laws in Texas

Texas Drug Crimes range from the misdemeanor to felony level. The greater the amount of drug in involved, the higher the offense. While Possession of Marijuana and Possession of a Controlled Substance can be classified as misdemeanors at the lowest levels, they can also be prosecuted as felonies when the quantity increases.

Drug crimes also include possession of prescription drugs, manufacturing, distribution, delivery and prescription drug fraud. We group these together as “drug crimes” because they share many similar characteristics and defense considerations. Texas Health and Safety Code Section 481.002 describes many of the Texas state law with regard to drug crimes, including manufacturing, selling or purchasing illegal drugs.

What drugs are illegal in Texas?

Drug offenses include both illegal and legal prescription (and even over-the-counter) drugs. Illegal drugs like marijuana, cocaine or meth are common, but increasingly common are prosecution for illegal possession of legal prescription drugs such as Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lortab, Lorcet), Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet, Percodan, or Tylox), Alprazolam (Xanax, Xanor, Alprax, and Niravam), Diazepam (Valium) and stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall, and Concerta. Forgery of a prescription is also an increasingly common offense to be prosecuted in Texas.

Texas categorizes illegal drugs into different categories. This classification process takes into account the drug’s addictiveness and the relative medical use of the drug. The most serious classification of drugs include heroin, meth, hydrocodone and cocaine. Less serious classifications include drugs such as marijuana, ecstasy and PCP. Learn more about the classifications of illegal drugs in Texas

Illegal drugs in Texas include the following list:

• Bath Salts
• Cannabis
• Cocaine
• Ecstasy
• GHB
• Hashish
• Heroin
• Ketamine
• Krokodil
• LSD
• Marijuana (“Marihuana”)
• MDMA
• Mescaline
• Opium
• PCP (Phencyclidine)
• Psilocybin (mushrooms)
• Rohypnol
• Speed (methamphetamine or simply “Meth“)
• Synthetic Marijuana (Spice or K2)

Did you consent to a search by the police? Do you have to consent to a search if you are stopped?

Drug possession charges frequently arise out of a police stop–in my criminal defense practice, have seen this most commonly in the form of a traffic stop. You may have been pulled over on suspicion of DWI, or any other suspicion by the police officer, and the drug sniffing dogs may have been called out. Or perhaps you were just asked whether you had any illegal drugs in your car or whether you would consent to a search. No matter the case, it is important to know that you do not have to agree to a search just because an officer asks you. Law enforcement officers are not legally allowed to force you into a search unless they obtain a search warrant. Additionally, you have every right to remain silent until you speak with an attorney.

How to defend against a Drug Crime charge

There are many, many different ways for a drug defense lawyer to beat a drug case. Here are two examples:

Possession: How can the State Prove You Possessed the Drugs?

One situation is where police found drugs, but the drugs did not belong to the person who was arrested. How do the police know who the drugs belonged to? Where did they find the drugs? What were the circumstances? If the drugs were found in a car, how many other people used that car? There are many, many factors to consider in establishing “possession” under the law. We closely examine elements like ownership, control, intent and knowledge. How can the state prove you possessed the drugs?

Illegal Searches: Did the Police Violate Your Constitutional Rights When They Found the Drugs?

If the police violated your constitutional rights when they searched you and found drugs, then we attack the case by getting the drugs themselves thrown out. The police need to be held accountable for their actions, and conduct their investigations properly and without any substantial violation of a person’s rights. It is their obligation to conduct themselves professionally, and when they violate your rights, you are entitled to hold them accountable, and we fight to keep the fruits of their illegal search out of your case.