Meth Manufacturing Defense Lawyer in Columbus, OH
Columbus police, prosecutors, and judges have tightened their grip on methamphetamine production in recent years. In their eyes, and those of Ohio legislators, meth manufacturing represents a substantial economic drain, promotes serious crimes, and poses a dangerous health threat to the people of Columbus.
If law enforcement suspects that you are manufacturing meth, please know that in their zealous targeting of meth producers, police and prosecutors could violate your legal rights. Consider placing someone in your court—a Columbus drug crimes lawyer who knows Ohio’s drug laws and has the court victories to prove it.
Consider Joslyn Law Firm as your criminal defense advocate. Our firm has defended more than 20,000 cases throughout Central Ohio. Our lawyers know the judicial system—judges, prosecutors, probation officers, bailiffs, and Ohio drug courts—like the back of our hands, and we will put this fluency to work at getting you the best outcome for your case.
Our legal team offers a 360-degree perspective on the strategies that could work to have your charges reduced or your case dismissed. This insight comes from a well-rounded legal team that includes a former Hamilton County assistant prosecuting attorney and a former Hamilton County public defender. Their experience dovetails to give us a firm grasp on how your case could proceed and how we can guide it to a positive result.
Our principal attorney, Brian Joslyn, has earned recognition as one of the state’s most skilled criminal defense attorneys. Not only is he included in the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, but also, he has achieved from his peers of judges and lawyers the top rank of AV Preeminent. Only attorneys regarded as having the highest level of professional excellence earn this ranking.
Columbus Defense Lawyer for Meth Manufacturing
If police are investigating you or have already charged you with meth manufacturing, you need to take this matter seriously. Part of the city’s commitment to crack down on meth producers is to get them off the streets and into prisons—and to collect some heavy financial penalties that could devastate you.
You do have rights, though, and both Ohio and federal laws recognize a range of defenses that, in the right circumstances, could make the difference between your imprisonment and your freedom.
Our firm knows these defenses, and we know how to apply them to a variety of prosecutorial scenarios. Even the news media recognizes our attorneys as the knowledge banks of Ohio’s criminal laws and criminal justice system. When journalists from top media outlets—like ABC6, NBC4, 10WBNS, FOX28, The Columbus Dispatch, and The Plain Dealer—are covering stories about Ohio crime, they come to us.
Remember, methamphetamine manufacturing can lead to felony charges. The outcome of a conviction could go well beyond prison and fines, with serious collateral consequences that could last a lifetime. A conviction could affect your right to vote, custody of your children, and your right to carry a concealed weapon, for starters.
If you live in or around Columbus and have been accused of meth manufacturing, call the lawyer who SuperLawyers named a “Rising Star” and The National Academy of Criminal Defense Attorneys designated one of the “Top 10” criminal lawyers in Ohio. Contact Joslyn Law Firm today at (614) 444-1900 for a free consultation.
Meth Manufacturing in Columbus, Ohio Information Center
- Meth Manufacturing Overview in Columbus, Ohio
- Penalties for Meth Manufacturing in Franklin County
- Defenses Against Meth Manufacturing Charges in Columbus
- Additional Resources Explaining Meth Manufacturing in Columbus, Ohio
- News about Meth Manufacturing in Ohio
- Frequently Asked Questions about Meth Manufacturing in Franklin County
- Columbus Meth Manufacturing Defense Lawyers
Meth Manufacturing Overview in Columbus, Ohio
Ohio Revised Code § 2925.04 criminalizes the act of knowingly cultivating, manufacturing, or participating in any aspect of producing a controlled substance.
Ohio classifies controlled dangerous substances according to five schedules. The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy compiles a table of these schedules, basing each substance’s classification according to whether it has any acceptable medical uses, as well as the substance’s potential for abuse or dependency. Under these parameters, methamphetamine has been classified as a Schedule II controlled substance. Schedule II drugs have a high potential for abuse and promote severe physical or psychological dependence.
The drug does have accepted medical uses, though, and can be legally prescribed, administered, or dispensed by a medical provider. For several reasons, Ohio governments, judicial authorities, and law enforcement have placed a high priority on investigating, charging, and punishing methamphetamine producers. We shall explore these reasons here.
Ohio Has Climbed National Ranks in Meth Labs
Although the number of meth labs seemed to dwindle a few years ago, they appear to be making a comeback. Police attribute this to the increase in heroin overdoses, which has prompted heroin addicts who fear overdosing to seek out another drug of choice, according to the Marietta Times’ report on the subject.
In 2014, the Missouri Highway Patrol published a report based on data from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Clandestine Laboratory Seizure System. Cleveland newspaper The Plain Dealer shared findings from the report, including that Ohio had ranked fourth in the United States for the number of meth labs, chemicals, and dump sites discovered by authorities.
According to The Plain Dealer’s 2014 interview with Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, meth had reached epidemic proportions across Ohio. The news coverage also reported that the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation had tracked 315 meth labs at the onset of the federal fiscal year, with seven months still remaining in the year.
More Arrests for Illegal Purchase of Meth Ingredients in Northeast Ohio
Gary Hubbard, the director of the Medina County Drug Task Force, claimed his office had arrested 78 individuals on more than 200 charges for the illegal purchasing of pseudoephedrine, which is an ingredient in the methamphetamine manufacturing process.
The state imposes strict limits on how much of the ingredient, which is a cold medicine, that a single person can purchase. To get around the restriction, meth manufacturers engage in “smurfing”: paying people to visit multiple stores, buy large volumes of pseudoephedrine, and then take the ingredients back to the meth cooker.
Meth Production Process Presents Hazardous Risks
The makeshift labs that many meth manufacturers create use extremely volatile chemicals in hostile environments. These labs have hazardous effects that can affect the environments around them.
Often, fires and explosions can occur if methamphetamine production is particularly dangerous. Simply being exposed to the chemicals can lead to physical symptoms, such as dizziness, disorientation, pulmonary edema, and chemical pneumonitis.
Meth Is Highly Available in Columbus
The Ohio Substance Abuse Monitoring Network reports on drug trends in the Columbus region. According to a January 2018 OSAMN document, crystal meth availability had increased over the previous year’s numbers.
The report described methamphetamine as “highly available” in Columbus, giving the availability a score of “10” out of “10.” The report further states that meth availability in Ohio counties increased 20.7 percent over its availability in 2020.
Although heroin seizures have “plateaued,” meth availability shows a continual rise, according to the Marietta Times. The number of meth production cases between July and December 2015 was 2,706, compared with 3,265 in the following six months. Forty-five seizures of meth took place in Columbus during the reporting period.
Penalties for Meth Manufacturing in Franklin County
The increasing prevalence of meth labs across Ohio has prompted legislators to tighten the consequences associated with meth manufacturing. Under Ohio Revised Code § 2925.04(3), manufacturing methamphetamine could result in a second-degree felony. The penalties for a second-degree felony in Ohio include:
- Up to 8 years in prison; and
- A fine of up to $15,000
It is important to note that the court will impose a three-year mandatory prison term if you are convicted of meth manufacturing. If you have a previous conviction or you pleaded guilty to methamphetamine production in the past, then the mandatory minimum sentence is no less than five years.
Steep Penalties if Minors Are Involved
Committing the crime in front of a juvenile, in the vicinity of a school, or on public premises will enhance your charges. You may be charged with a first-degree felony, with a mandatory minimum prison term of four years. The maximum penalties for a first-degree felony include:
- Up to 10 years in prison
- A fine of up to $20,000
Collateral Effects of a Drug Conviction
The penalties accompanying a meth manufacturing charge are daunting, to say the least. However, the long-term effects of a drug conviction are also just as serious. If you were convicted for operating a meth lab in your home, the State of Ohio could seize your home, along with any other property the state believes is connected to this criminal act.
Furthermore, even after you have completely served your time and paid the related fines, you will still have a permanent criminal record that contains a felony drug conviction. Many people with marred records have issues gaining or retaining employment.
Licensing agencies and employers may have issues with admitting someone who has a criminal past. If you already are a licensed professional, you could lose your credentials because of the conviction, depending on what the license board decides.
Our Firm Can Protect You Against the Consequences of a Meth Manufacturing Conviction
A conviction can even cost you educational opportunities. It can affect your eligibility for certain universities or community colleges, and scholarships you obtained in the past may be revoked. In some cases, you could be denied financial aid because of your criminal record.
If you are not a citizen of the United States, a conviction for manufacturing meth could result in you being deported to your home country. A felony drug conviction would likely block your chances to get citizenship or even an immigration visa or green card.
The attorneys at Joslyn Law Firm understand the seriousness of the charge you are facing. We will work diligently to represent you and make sure the facts in your case are heard and considered.
Defenses Against Meth Manufacturing Charges in Ohio
To obtain a conviction for methamphetamine production, Columbus prosecutors must prove each element of the offense as outlined in Ohio R.C. § 2925.04. This means the prosecutor in your case must prove that you knowingly manufactured a controlled substance.
If the prosecutor fails to prove each of these elements beyond a reasonable doubt, they cannot obtain a conviction. Specifically, depending on the circumstances of your case, our lawyers could argue that:
- The substance in question was not methamphetamine, so it was not a controlled substance (challenges the “controlled substance” element of the offense).
- You were not aware that the substance in question was methamphetamine (challenges the “knowingly” element of the offense).
- You did not participate in the manufacturing (challenges the “manufacturing” element of the offense).
Insufficient Evidence/Suppressing Evidence
Our law firm will review the facts, details, and circumstances of your case. We will assess the prosecution’s case and evidence against you, and our attorneys will devise a defense strategy that suggests the greatest potential for a positive outcome.
One approach we use is to dismantle the prosecution’s case by filing motions to suppress key pieces of evidence. This strategy works when our lawyers can argue that evidence was unlawfully obtained, perhaps through an illegal search and seizure, by denying your right to legal counsel, by using illegal wiretapping or surveillance, or by failing to Mirandize you (inform you of your rights).
These actions violate your rights and are grounds for suppressing evidence obtained through these means—as well as any evidence that investigators would not have discovered were it not for the tainted evidence.
Medical Use
Methamphetamine can be prescribed legally to treat obesity and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), per the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). If you have a legal prescription for methamphetamine, our lawyers might be able to move for a dismissal or reduction of the charges against you.
You also may be able to have the charges dropped if you were found with someone else’s legally prescribed medicine.
Personal Use
If you face a charge that you possessed meth with an intent to sell, we may be able to prove you had it for personal use only. If we find that the evidence against you is lacking or was brought forward after violations in procedure were made, such as an illegal search and seizure, our lawyers will challenge the charges.
Additional Resources Explaining Meth Manufacturing in Columbus, Ohio
Methamphetamine Labs
Visit the official website for the United States Department of Justice and read an article on methamphetamine labs by the National Drug Intelligence Center. Access the article to learn more about methamphetamine’s effects, how to spot a lab, what hazards are associated with them, and more.
Ohio Methamphetamine Laws
Visit the official website for Ohio’s Rules and Laws to read the statute regarding methamphetamine production. Assess the legislation to learn the penalties, aggravating factors, and other drug offenses that are related to meth manufacturing.
Meth Lab Cleanup
The Ohio Department of Health offers information about best practices for cleaning up a meth lab. The resource is intended for health districts to have cleanup guidance for these areas, which can be hazardous due to the chemicals and other products used to make these d rugs.
DEA’s Methamphetamine Fact Sheet
You can learn more here about methamphetamine, including its street names and how it affects the body. The information page, published by the DEA, also includes a downloadable fact sheet for easy reference.
DEA’s Drug Scheduling Information Sheet
The DEA classifies methamphetamine as a Schedule II drug. This sheet explains what that means and gives detailed information about the scheduling system the federal government uses to classify substances. Here, you can also learn about other substances’ potential for abuse and dependence.
News About Meth Manufacturing in Ohio
September 22, 2021
“More Than 24 Pounds of Meth Seized in Licking County”
The Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Bulk Interdiction Task Force conducted an investigation that led to the seizure of over 24 pounds of meth in Fairfield and Licking counties, according to 10WBNS.
The massive quantity, valued on the streets at over half a million dollars, reflects a new trend in which traffickers distribute methamphetamine in bulk, replacing what used to be a system of “one -pot” labs, according to Attorney General Dave Yost.
April 20, 2021
“Active Meth Lab Found in Green Creek Township Home”
The Fremont News-Messenger reports that county and federal law enforcement agents in Sandusky, Ohio, recently uncovered an active meth lab in a home in the Green Creek Township community.
Agents dismantled the lab during their investigation and plan to seek charges, which are pending through a future grand jury, according to a Sandusky County Prosecutor’s Office news release. Authorities found guns, items indicating a meth lab, and other drug-related items.
March 26, 2021
“Columbus Woman Indicted on Drug Manufacturing Charges“
A grand jury recently indicted Sheila D. Perdew of Columbus, Ohio, on a drug manufacturing charge, the Chillicothe Gazette reports. The charge stems from a November 2020 accident that led law enforcement to find items used to make meth inside of her vehicle, including lithium batteries and drain cleaner.
She has been indicted on a third-degree felony charge of illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs. Authorities were called to an accident scene involving Perdew’s vehicle after witnesses said Perdew tried to leave the scene after the crash.
September 22, 2020
“Alleged Members of Online ‘Darknet’ Drug Operation Indicted in Cincinnati”
ABC6 reports that a group of five people was indicted for allegedly manufacturing and distributing over one million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills. The defendants allegedly shipped these pills to Ohio and across the country, along with methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine.
The arrests stemmed from a massive international operation that targets “darknet” sales of illegal drugs.
February 21, 2020
“Meth Sees Resurgence in Some Areas But Columbus Area Officials Say it Never Went Away”
What Ohio police see as a resurgence in meth use in Ohio, local drug agencies say is a continuation of the same song and dance. Detective James Jodrey of the Special Investigations Unit of the Franklin County sheriff’s office told The Columbus Dispatch that meth has not wavered in its status as a drug of choice, especially in Ohio’s rural neighborhoods.
What has changed, according to Jodrey, is that meth labs have given way to Mexican cartels. Columbus law enforcement is seeing significantly more meth on the streets, and the drug appears in large quantities, not the “single-user quantities” that police used to encounter. The increase in meth use has led to an increase in crime, the news outlet reports.
Frequently Asked Questions About Meth Manufacturing Charges in Franklin County
Q: Is Meth Manufacturing Legal in Ohio?
A: No. Meth manufacturing, or the process of making methamphetamine, is illegal in Ohio. This offense is outlined in Ohio Revised Code § 2925.04. The code further stipulates that the illegal manufacture of controlled substances could mean prison time if prosecutors succeed in conviction or the defendant pleads guilty.
Q: What Are the Penalties of Meth Manufacturing?
A: The penalties for meth manufacturing in Ohio include a potential prison term of up to eight years and a fine of as much as $15,000. These penalties get worse if a minor is involved in the offense. In this case, a conviction could mean spending up to 10 years in prison and paying a fine of up to $20,000.
A person accused of meth manufacturing in Ohio faces a three-year mandatory prison term if they are convicted of the offense. A past conviction or guilty plea involving meth production means a mandatory sentence of no fewer than five years in prison.
Are There Any Defenses Against Meth Manufacturing?
A. Yes. Possible defenses in a meth manufacture case could involve arguing that an improper search and seizure violated a defendant’s constitutional rights. If meth or meth-making paraphernalia was uncovered during an illegal search, our defense attorneys could move to have the drugs or manufacturing items excluded from the evidence that would be used at trial.
Our legal team could also argue that you did not know the substance at issue was meth, that you were not involved in the production of the meth, or that the substance in question was, in fact, not methamphetamine.
Furthermore, if you have a legal prescription for methamphetamine medication, you may be able to dispute the charges. Our lawyers could also seek to have your charges reduced or dropped if it can be shown that the amount of meth found in your possession was intended for personal use, not for distribution.
Q: Why Are Penalties Harsh for Meth Manufacturing in Ohio?
A: Drug offenses involving methamphetamine are taken seriously for many reasons, including that the drug’s abuse risk is high, and meth use is a cause of many overdoses. The state also is taking aggressive action toward meth manufacturers because an increase in crime always accompanies this type of activity.
Lawyer for Meth Manufacturing in Columbus, OH
If you or someone you love has been accused of meth manufacturing, prepare yourself for the road ahead. The statutory penalties for a methamphetamine production charge are incredibly harsh, including fines in the thousands and time in prison. Stay ahead with a plan to attack these allegations by contacting Joslyn Law Firm.
Our lawyers represent throughout the greater Columbus area and nearby cities, including Groveport, Bexley, Worthington, and Hilliard. Our defense lawyers have years of experience defending people from drug crime charges. Using our skills and knowledge, we will represent you to the best of our ability. Call (614) 444-1900 today for a free consultation.
