A man is facing drug charges after he was arrested by the Joliet Police Department. The 27-year-old man was arrested on Aug. 14, and he was charged with eight criminal offenses mostly related to drugs. The police accuse the man of dealing cocaine. He is charged with one Class X felony charge, accusing him of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Specifically, police claim that the man was found on Aug. 12 with an amount of cocaine between 15 and 100 grams.
The man was also charged with possession of a gun without a firearm owner’s identification card, which is required under state gun laws. The man had .357-caliber ammunition with him, and although he previously had the required card registered with the state police, it was not with him when the ammunition was found.
The majority of the charges relate to drug distribution. Police accuse him of distributing cocaine in Joliet on six separate days. For each occasion, he was charged with unlawful delivery of a controlled substance: specifically, between 1 and 15 grams of cocaine. After being charged, the man had bail set at $500,000. So far, he has remained behind bars at Will County Jail.
Drug charges in Illinois can have a serious effect on a person’s life. A felony conviction could interfere with opportunities for employment, education and housing for years to come in the future in addition to the potential for hefty fines and even prison time.
People accused of drug crimes may face unfair or inappropriate treatment by the police. In addition, prosecutors may seek to escalate the charges that a person is facing in an attempt to pressure them to plead guilty. Defendants may consult with a criminal defense lawyer about protecting their rights and working to avoid a conviction.