Acquiring Controlled Substance by Fraud
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Prescription pills like Percocet, OxyContin, Xanax, Adderall and Vicodin, have increasingly become a drug-of-choice in Philadelphia. Most local pharmacists are on the alert for forged prescriptions. If you are charged with prescription fraud, you will need to retain a defense attorney with extensive experience in drug crimes.
What You Need To Know About Acquiring Controlled Substances By Fraud
In Pennsylvania, you will be charged with acquiring controlled substances by fraud, if you use forgery or deception to obtain prescription medication without a valid medical prescription.
Some common ways people commit drug fraud:
- Forging a prescription on a stolen prescription pad
- Altering a doctor’s prescription
- Doctor shopping
- Representing yourself as a doctor or nurse, and calling in your own prescription
If you are charged, you will be up against Pennsylvania’s tough and inflexible mandatory minimum sentencing laws.
The penalty for acquiring a controlled substance by fraud is up to seven years in prison and a fine up to $15,000.
The full extent of your punishment is weighted on factors that include the type of drug involved, the amount of the drug and your prior convictions.
Who Commits Drug Fraud
Many people become addicted to painkillers after taking pills they were prescribed through legitimate medical prescriptions. Their addiction makes them desperate to obtain medication by any means.
If this is your situation when you are arrested for drug fraud, there is hope. In the Philadelphia area, your defense attorney may be able to work out a deal for you to enter a drug treatment program instead of jail.
What To Do If You Have Been Charged
If you are caught with prescription medications you obtained by fraud in your possession, it is important that you do not make any statements to the arresting officer about the drugs.
As with most criminal charges, you should not talk to the police or prosecutors without your attorney by your side. What you say can be taken out of context and used against you. If the police question you, tell them you want a lawyer and politely refuse to answer their questions.
How A Lawyer Will Help
When you are up against a charge of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, you will be facing inflexible laws and a determined prosecutor. You will need an attorney who can help you determine all of your options and achieve the best outcome for your circumstances.
Acquiring a Controlled Substance by Fraud Law
Acquiring a controlled substance by fraud charges are described and defined under The Pennsylvania Code under Title 35 Chapter 6. Read the code here.
Questions? Contact us today.
If at all possible, Fienman Defense will try to get the charges against you dismissed or see if a drug treatment program would be right for your situation. Based on the evidence and the constraints of mandatory sentencing, we will work hard to get your penalties lowered. And if your case goes to court, Fienman Defense will fight to win an acquittal.