Tennessee Criminal Lawyer Blog

Tennessee narcotic lawyers have the experience necessary to help you understand the complex legal issues that surround your drug case. Our criminal defense attorneys fully investigate the particular circumstances of each and every case. Our attorneys have dealt with many types of narcotics, including cocaine charges. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that negatively affects the brain. It is highly addictive and easily abused. Cocaine became extremely popular during the 1980s and '90s, and remains highly used today.

Cocaine is typically sold as a fine, white, crystalline powder. There are many street names for cocaine such as "coke," "C," "snow," "flake," or "blow." Often times, street dealers dilute cocaine with inert substances like cornstarch, talcum powder, sugar, and other drugs or stimulants.

Cocaine is considered to be a Schedule II controlled substance under Tennessee law. It is an offense for someone to knowingly:

(1) Manufacture cocaine;

(2) Deliver cocaine;

(3) Sell cocaine; or

(4) Possess cocaine with intent to manufacture, deliver or sell cocaine.

The penalties for cocaine violations are severe. The penalty depends upon the amount of cocaine involved in the offense. If you violate the above, and the amount of cocaine involved is point five (.5) grams or more of any substance containing cocaine, then the violation is a Class B felony. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-417 (c)(1) (2007). Class B felonies are punishable between eight and thirty years incarceration. In addition, you could be fined up to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).

If you violate the above, and the amount of cocaine involved is point five (.5) grams or less of any substance containing cocaine, then the violation is a Class C felony. Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-417 (c)(2)(a) (2007). Class C felonies are punishable between three and fifteen years incarceration. The maximum fine remains at one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000).

If the offense involves less than point five (.5) grams of cocaine, but the defendant carried or employed a deadly weapon or the offense resulted in death or bodily injury to another person, the offense is a Class B felony. If you have been charges with the manufacture, delivery, selling, or possession of cocaine, contact a Tennessee narcotics attorney. Our lawyers handle drug cases in the East Tennessee area including Sevierville, Knoxville, Newport, Maryville, Loudon, Morristown, and Johnson City.