A 22-year-old man was arrested on suspicion marijuana possession following a traffic stop. According to a news report in The Montclair Patch, the incident occurred on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair. The man was near a DWI checkpoint when authorities pulled him over. They found a bag of marijuana during the traffic stop and charged him. It is unclear how they found the marijuana or how much marijuana was in the vehicle.
Now that marijuana laws are changing in New Jersey there may be some confusion over what is legal and what will result in criminal charges. Although medical marijuana has been legalized in the state, marijuana is still a controlled substance under federal law. The severity of the charges someone will face for marijuana possession in New Jersey is related to the amount of drugs seized by the authorities, the criminal history of the suspect and whether or not the authorities have reason to believe the suspect was going to sell the drugs.
Possession of 50 grams or less of marijuana in New Jersey is a disorderly persons offense that may result in a fine up to $1,000 and six months of jail time. If the suspect has drug paraphernalia at the time of the arrest, he or she may face a second disorderly persons charge as well. Possessing more than 50 grams of marijuana is a felony that could result in a year and a half in jail and a $25,000 fine.
The skilled Princeton marijuana crime defense attorneys at Lependorf & Silverstein fight to have possession charges reduced or even thrown out. We have years of experience successfully defending our clients against drug crime charges. If you or a loved one has been arrested on suspicion of drug possession, call our offices at 609-240-0040 for a free consultation and comprehensive case evaluation.
