A felony is a crime which is punishable by a period in jail. The state of Virginia takes the crimes very seriously and punishes those who commit crimes. There are a total of six felonies in Virginia. The least is the class six it means that the class 5 felony is not a big crime. No matter it is a small crime or a larger, the court will punish you if you do such an offense. Assault and battery, drug violations, hit and run, possession of controlled substance, domestic violence, bribery, etc., are some of the class 5 felonies in VA. Make sure that you do not get yourself in trouble. The court will not spare you if they find charges against you.
Possession of a controlled substance
There are a total of six schedules of controlled substances. There are different convictions for possessing each substance. For example, if you have a Schedule I and a Schedule II substance the court will convict you of a class 5 felony. It is important to know these substances. Everyone in Virginia should be aware of all the prohibited substances. The court would not spare you even if you did not know about laws. Not knowing does not mean that the court will be lenient with you.
What are the Schedule I and Schedule II substances?
These are the substances which are abusive. The use of these substances can get you in a lot of trouble. These are Heroin, LSD, and ecstasy. There are also many other drugs which fall into this category. The schedule II drugs include Meth and cocaine.
Many people think that if they have the drug is not a crime. They think that only using the drug is a crime. You should know that the law says “possession” of the drug not using it. So, even if you have and not use the drug, the court will convict you of a felony.
The charges
If you are found guilty of possession of these drugs, the court will convict you of a class 5 felony. If it is your first offense, you will go to jail for one year. The imprisonment is a maximum of ten years. The judge cannot send a person for more than ten years. If you have a lawyer who handles your case, you can even win the case. The lawyer can help reduce the charges. You may not go to jail but have to pay a fine of $2500.
The first offense
If it is your first offense, you can receive a deferred disposition. The court will dismiss the charges against you if you complete the probation period. The court sends the individual to join a drug abuse program. It is also one way in which the courts in VA handle the drug cases. The individual will not go to jail but has to pay all the fines. He will also have to pay the costs of the abuse programs he will join.