Manufacturing marijuana

In California, some marijuana violations are prosecuted as misdemeanors, some as felonies and some are considered “wobblers” which means that the prosecutor filing the charge has the discretion as to whether to charge the accused with a misdemeanor or a felony. Automatic felonies are reserved for the offenses that the state considers most serious, which includes manufacturing marijuana. In order to best defend against the severe penalties that this offense carries, it is imperative that an individual charged with this crime immediately contacts a skilled criminal defense lawyer who specializes in this area of the law and knows how to employ the most vigorous defenses.

Anyone who manufactures, compounds, converts, produces, derives, processes, or prepares marijuana, either directly or indirectly by chemical extraction or independently by means of chemical synthesis faces a felony, punishable by three, five or seven years in the state prison and a maximum fine of $50,000. Simply “offering” to perform one of these activities will still subject the accused to three, four or five years in the state prison.

“Manufacturing” marijuana does not necessarily mean that the process of manufacturing must be completed. Manufacturing marijuana may be charged when a person knowingly participates in the initial or intermediate steps necessary to process the marijuana. As a result, it is unlawful for a person to engage in the synthesis, processing or preparation of a chemical used in the manufacture of marijuana, even if the chemical is not itself a controlled substance, provided that the person knows that the chemical is going to be used in the manufacturing of marijuana. To prove the accused guilty of this offense, the prosecutor must show that the accused manufactured, compounded, converted, produced, derived, processed or prepared marijuana either directly or indirectly by means of chemical extraction or independently by means of chemical synthesis and that he or she knew that the marijuana that was being manufactured was a controlled substance. If the crime alleged is one of offering to do the above, it must also be proven that the accused had the specific intent to do so.

It should additionally be noted that an individual who has under his or her management or control any property (including a building, room, space, or enclosure), either as an owner, lessee, employee, agent or mortgagee, who knowingly leases, rents or makes available for use, with or without compensation, that property for the purpose of unlawfully manufacturing marijuana for sale or distribution faces either a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in the county jail or a felony, punishable by imprisonment in the state prison. Anyone convicted of this offense a second or subsequent time faces two, three or four years in the state prison, as the offense will automatically be charged as a felony.

When charged with manufacturing marijuana, it is critical that the accused contacts an experienced criminal attorney who understands how to successfully challenge this offense. The outstanding lawyers at The Kavinoky Law Firm have mastered everything that relates to California’s marijuana laws in an effort to provide their clients with unparalleled service. They meticulously review every case that comes their way in order to spot the defenses that will most likely convince a judge and jury that their clients are either entitled to an acquittal or, at the very least, are deserving of a reduced charge, which would entitle them to drug treatment programs in lieu of jail or prison time. To learn more about the defenses that apply to a California manufacturing marijuana charge, contact them today for a free consultation.