Connecticut Drug Sale - Intent to Distribute Laws & Penalties
A charge of selling drugs is an extremely serious offense, and frequently carries jail time if you are found guilty.
These laws are enormously complicated. There is a lot of technical information here, but honestly, there is no way for a lay-person to sort it out in any meaningful way, and apply it to their case.
The penalties can be different if the person selling is also considered “drug dependent” under the law. And the legal defense strategies can vary tremendously depending on your specific situation.
You need the best Connecticut criminal defense lawyer you can get, as quickly as possible. Please call me for a free consultation now, and I’ll help you work through your possible defense options, and what your best chances are to try to win your case after a possession with intent to distribute charge.
Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance
The Cultivation, Delivery or Sale of Marijuana, Equal to or Less than 1 Kilogram and Over 1 kg carries the following penalties under Connecticut Law if you are found guilty:
| Sale of 1 kg of Marijuana or Less | First offense: up to 7 years imprisonment, a $25,000 fine, or both. |
| Sale of over 1 kg of Marijuana | Minimum of 5 to 20 years |
Also see my marijuana possession defense page.
The Sale of Narcotics or Hallucinogens Other than Marijuana carries the following penalties under Connecticut Law if you are found guilty:
- First offense: up to 15 years imprisonment, a $50,000 fine, or both
- Second offense: up to 30 years imprisonment, a $100,000 fine, or both
- Subsequent offenses: up to 30 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both
- Alternative sentence: up to a 3 year indeterminate sentence with conditional release
Sale of any Narcotics or Hallucinogens Other than Marijuana(CGS § 21a-277(a) )
The Sale of any Other Illegal Drug Other than Marijuana carries the following penalties under Connecticut Law if you are found guilty:
- First offense: up to 7 years imprisonment, a $25,000 fine, or both
- Subsequent offenses: up to 15 years imprisonment, a $100,000 fine, or both
- Alternative sentence: up to a 3 year indeterminate sentence with conditional release
Sale of any other illegal drug other than marijuana Cite: CGS § 21a-277(b)
The Sale of at least 1 Ounce of Heroin, Cocaine, or Methadone; 5 Milligrams of LSD; or 0.5 Grams of Crack Cocaine by a Non Drug-Dependent Person carries the following penalties under Connecticut Law of you are found guilty:
- Mandatory minimum 5 to 20 years imprisonment with a possible maximum term of life imprisonment
Cite: CGS § 21a-278(a)
The Sale of at least 1 Kilogram of Marijuana or any Amount of Narcotics, Amphetamines, or other Hallucinogens by a Non Drug-Dependent Person carries the following penalties under Connecticut Law if you are found guilty:
- Minimum 5-year jail term with a possible maximum term of up to 20 years
- Subsequent Offenses: mandatory minimum 10-year jail term up to a 25-year maximum term
Cite: CGS § 21a-278(b)
Selling Drugs Within a School Zone
The Sale of Drugs Within 1,500 Feet of an Elementary or Secondary School, Licensed Day Care Center, or Public Housing Project carries the following penalties under Connecticut Law if you are found guilty:
- Mandatory 3-year jail term running consecutively to any jail term imposed for violating the underlying drug sale crime
Cite: CGS § 21a-278a(b)
Selling Drugs to a Minor
The Sale of Drugs to a Minor who is at least 2 Years Younger by a Non Drug Dependent Adult, carries the following penalties under Connecticut Law if you are found guilty:
- Mandatory 2-year jail term running consecutively to jail term imposed for violating the underlying crime
Cite: CGS § 21a-278a(a)
Hiring a Minor to Sell Drugs
Hiring a Minor to Sell Drugs carries the following penalties under Connecticut Law if you are found guilty:
| Hiring a minor to sell illegal drugs in violation of the laws prohibiting illegal drug sales | Mandatory 3-year jail term running consecutively to the underlying drug sale crime |
Cite: CGS § 21a-278a(c)
Selling Heroin, Cocaine, or Methadone to Someone who Subsequently Dies from Taking such Drugs carries the following penalties under Connecticut Law if you are found guilty:
| Causing the death of a user by selling heroin, cocaine, or methadone | Life imprisonment without possibility of early release or a death sentence if the jury fines that aggravating factors outweigh mitigating factors |
Cite: CGS § 53a-54b(6)
How To Beat a Connecticut Intent to Distribute Charge
The first thing to do in a serious drug case is usually a motion to suppress, where I challenge the manner in which the police found the evidence against you.
Whenever I can, I’ll also argue that the crime is overcharged, and make an argument that a simple drug possession charge is more appropriate for the evidence involved.
Any drug sale charge is extremely serious, and demands an aggressive defense to avoid the most severe consequences you are facing. Call now to find out what I can do for you.
Free consultation on Connecticut Drug Sale laws and criminal charges.
