If you have been caught in possession of drug or are facing any type of drug charges in Illinois then Derrick B. Reese J.D.; LL.M can help provide an aggressive legal defense to defend you in court. Any drug conviction, whether it is a misdemeanor or felony can have long term consequences that will stay with you for years to come. Attorney Derrick B. Reese graduated at the top 5% of his law school class and went on to receive his Master of Law degree which not every criminal defense attorney has. With 25 years of experience defending the rights of his clients, he feels comfortable in front of a jury or representing his clients in a bench trial.

Derrick B. Reese J.D.;LL.M is an articulate drug attorney that has a knack for picking apart the prosecution’s case against his clients. He makes sure that his client’s civil rights have been preserved and no illegal searches have been conducted by the authorities. It is not uncommon for a simple traffic stop to have resulted in the search of a vehicle and uncovered drugs and weapons. This can lead to disruption in the lives of our clients and we fight hard to keep them out of jail.

My client was seen receiving a large sum of money that was owed to him to pay a debt. The police had other people around my client under surveillance. They immediately arrested everybody that was standing together in this group. No drugs were recovered; however, my client was charged with possession with intent. The police confiscated the money my client received that day, claiming it was from the sale of narcotics. I aggressively argued during a court motion that my client did nothing wrong and no drugs were exchanged or found. The court agreed and returned the money to my client and dismissed the case.

• Possession of a Controlled Substance
• Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• Manufacture / Delivery of a Controlled Substance
• Drug Trafficking
• Drug Distribution
• Drug Manufacturing
• Prescription Drug Forgery

• Class A Misdemeanor – punishable by up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $2,500
• Class B Misdemeanor – punishable by up to six months in jail and a maximum fine of $1,500
• Class 4 Felony – punishable by 1-3 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000
• Class 3 Felony – punishable by 2-5 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000
• Class 2 Felony – punishable by 3-7 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000
• Class 1 Felony – punishable by 4-15 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000
• Class X Felony – punishable by 6-30 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. If aggravated circumstances are involved this can be increased to 30-60 years in prison.

According to Illinois statute 720 ILCS 570/401.1, it makes it a crime to knowingly deliver, manufacture or transfer possession of illegal drugs. It is not uncommon for the police to form sting operations and use convicted felons as informants to help them record and document evidence against those facing drug trafficking charges. If this has happened to you, it is important to have an aggressive and experienced criminal defense attorney defending you from start to finish, including during police interrogations to give yourself the best outcome for your case.

The State of Illinois has legalized the sale and use of medical and recreational marijuana in small quantities. This doesn’t mean that people are not still getting charged with misdemeanors and felonies for being in possession of it. If you possess marijuana while driving in a motor vehicle, then it needs to be in a child-proof container that is not accessible to the driver. For example, if you are on your way back home from purchasing marijuana at a dispensary, the best practice is to keep it in the back seal unsealed or in the trunk of your car while driving.

If you are over the age of 21 and a resident of Illinois, then it is legal to transport the following amounts of marijuana in your vehicle as long as it is not accessible by the driver.

• 30 grams of flower
• Up to 500 milligrams of infused THC
• 5 grams of marijuana concentrate

Call Derrick B. Reese J.D.; LL.M. at 708-914-4570 for a free consultation. He has 25 years of experience aggressively defending clients facing unfair misdemeanor and drug charges in Cook County, Kane County, Will County, LaSalle County, and DuPage County.