Charges have been dismissed for eight Oklahoma residents who were charged in a 19-person methamphetamine-ring bust that took place in 2012. Charges against the 19 people originally arose from a joint local and federal investigation, and included multiple counts of possessing or purchasing pseudoephedrine after a prior methamphetamine charge or conviction. The reason for the …
Charges have been dismissed for eight Oklahoma residents who were charged in a 19-person methamphetamine-ring bust that took place in 2012. Charges against the 19 people originally arose from a joint local and federal investigation, and included multiple counts of possessing or purchasing pseudoephedrine after a prior methamphetamine charge or conviction. The reason for the dismissal, according to Assistant District 18 District Attorney Wesley Cherry, stems from “a new court of criminal appeals case that says the penalty for the crime they were charged with is unconstitutional.” If you are facing criminal charges in Oklahoma for possession of meth or purchasing pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine, your first course of action should be to enlist the help of our criminal defense attorneys at Oklahoma Legal Center today.
Understanding Oklahoma Methamphetamine Laws
Under Oklahoma meth laws, it is illegal for any person to purchase more than 7.2 grams of pseudoephedrine during the course of one month. “If more than that amount is purchased, it is automatically assumed that the purpose is to manufacture meth,” says Cherry. It is also illegal in Oklahoma for a person who has been previously convicted of a meth-related crime to purchase any amount of pseudoephedrine, although there is an important stipulation on that particular measure. In order for a person to be charged with a crime under this Oklahoma statute, he or she would have had to be convicted of the meth-related crime after November 1, 2010, and would also have had to sign a form indicating that he or she understands that he or she is no longer allowed to purchase pseudoephedrine. According to Cherry, charges against eight people in this case were dismissed because they did not meet this criteria.
Our Skilled Criminal Defense Attorneys Can Help
Of the other eleven people involved in the meth-ring bust, two pleaded no contest to the charges filed against them, two were federally indicted, and seven are still facing charges in Pittsburg County District Court in connection to the methamphetamine-ring. Drug crimes in Oklahoma are being prosecuted more harshly today than ever before. If these Oklahoma residents are convicted of their various meth-related crimes, they could face significant penalties, possibly including mandatory drug testing, loss of rights to carry or possess firearms, years of probation and/or parole and even up to life in prison without the possibility of parole. If you have been charged with a meth-related offense or another drug crime in Oklahoma, don’t hesitate to protect your legal rights. Consult our knowledgeable defense lawyers at Oklahoma Legal Center to build a strong defense in your case.