Nassau County Cocaine Possession Laws.

Getting charged with cocaine possession in Nassau County can be really scary. Even if it's a small amount for personal use, possession is illegal and can lead to serious consequences. As someone whose been through the system myself, I want to break down the laws in a simple way and talk about defenses that could help. I'm not a lawyer but I'll share what I've learned from my own experience and research.

The Charges

There's a few different cocaine charges in New York law, based on how much you had:

• Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree - less than 500 milligrams of cocaine
• Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree - at least 500 milligrams but less than 1/8 ounce of cocaine
• Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree - at least 1/8 ounce but less than 1/2 ounce of cocaine
• Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree - at least 1/2 ounce but less than 2 ounces of cocaine
• Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the second degree - at least 2 ounces but less than 8 ounces of cocaine
• Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree - 8 ounces or more of cocaine

As you can see, the more coke you have, the higher the charge. Even a few grams can lead to some jail time. Possession of larger amounts like 1/2 ounce is a felony.

Penalties

The penalties get harsher as the charge goes up. For small possessions like less than 500 mg, you may just get probation or a fine. But once you hit the higher felony charges, your looking at years in prison:

• 7th degree (less than 500 mg) - up to 1 year in jail
• 5th degree (500 mg to 1/8 ounce) - up to 2 years in prison
• 4th degree (1/8 to 1/2 ounce) - up to 4 years in prison
• 3rd degree (1/2 to 2 ounces) - up to 9 years in prison
• 2nd degree (2 to 8 ounces) - up to 12 years in prison
• 1st degree (8+ ounces) - up to 20 years in prison