Drug Charges Lawyer in Torrance, CA. There are a wide variety of drug laws you can be charged with breaking in Torrance, CA. Everything from manufacturing to simple possession can send you to jail. These charges can include all kinds of substances from prescription medications to heroin. The fallout from a drug crime conviction can turn your world upside down.
You need representation that will fight for your freedom. You need Torrance, CA's leading criminal defense lawyer on your side. You need the Law Offices of David S. Chesley.
Our local Torrance drug charges lawyers know the ins and outs of California drug laws. We will explore possible defenses, discuss defense tactics, and stand by you in front of the judge and jury if your case reaches a trial. To begin fighting the charges, reach out to our representatives at (800) 755-5174 or set up a free, confidential consultation right away.
Torrance, CA, Drug Charges Lawyer: Page Summary
Below, we will go over how a Torrance, CA, drug defense attorney will protect your rights, the types of substances considered illegal in Torrance, the qualities your attorney should have, effective defense tactics against all sorts of charges, and more.
To focus on a particular topic, click on the appropriate link below to jump ahead and learn more:
- The Importance of Working With a Drug Charges Lawyer in Torrance, CA
- Common Drug Types and Possible Penalties
- Different Types of Drug Charges in Torrance, CA
- DUIs and Drug Charges Defense in Torrance, CA
- Top Drug Defense Attorney Qualities
- Types of Defenses We Build Against Drug Allegations
- Torrance, CA, Drug Charge Diversion Options
- Immigration Consequences of a Drug Conviction
- Drug Crime FAQs
- Contact Your Torrance, CA, Drug Charges Attorney Now
- All the Drug Charges Our Team Will Defend Against
The Importance of a Torrance, CA, Drug Charges Lawyer
There's no such thing as a "minor" drug charge in Torrance, CA. Two people who committed similar acts can face very different charges, meaning you're risking years in prison.
The first reason you need a drug charges lawyer without hesitation is to help you interpret the law. A simple possession case shouldn't be treated the same as a drug manufacturing case, and your drug defense attorney should understand how to fight your particular charges.
The second reason to get in touch with a local Torrance, CA, drug charges lawyer right away is to stop yourself from making a mistake. If you say something incorrect in an interrogation, the charges could be elevated and the state's case strengthened. A drug charges lawyer can advise what to share and what not to share with the state.
Additionally, your drug charges lawyer will give you access to expertise and relationships you wouldn't otherwise have. Early intervention lets us build a defense before the prosecution has completed its case, and in many cases, we can file a motion to dismiss charges if we act early enough.
Torrance, CA, Drug Types and Their Penalties:
When deciding on a Torrance, CA, drug charges lawyer, you should go with an attorney who knows how the prosecution treats different drug types. Below, we've listed some of the most common substances that are the center of illegal drug cases in the state.
| Drug Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Prescription Drugs | Charges often revolve around having a technically legal drug without permission, or selling it to someone you aren't supposed to. |
| Ecstacy | A man-made psychoactive drug. This affects the brain's ability to process serotonin. |
| Cocaine | A highly addictive drug that can be either a powdered form or a solid rock (Crack) It is taken in a variety of ways. |
| Methamphetamine | A man-made drug that temporarily boosts energy, while harming the body. |
| Opioids | A category of addictive painkillers. These include morphine, oxycodone, and heroin. |
| Heroin | A very addictive substance, and one of the most dangerous opioids. Courts and prosecutors often treat heroin charges harshly. |
| Fentanyl | One of the most dangerous forms of opioids — roughly 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine, according to the DEA. |
Penalties vary significantly based on substance, how much there was, your criminal record, and whether the charge is possession, possession-for-sale, or sale/transport. As a general framework:
- As long as you are only accused of simple possession, you can typically expect misdemeanor charges. These carry a maximum jail sentence of one year. However, keep in mind misdemeanor charges aren't a guarantee, and prosecutors treat some substances more harshly than others.
- Possession for sale, sale, transport, or manufacturing are are more serious charges. Most accusations are felonies, with sentencing ranges that depend heavily on the specific drug and amount involved.
- Fentanyl cases are particularly harsh: Proposition 36 (2024) added fentanyl alongside cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine to a list of drugs that trigger felony enhancement when possessed together with a loaded firearm, and it increased sentencing exposure tied to quantity for several substances.
- Federal charges carry their own, generally harsher, sentencing structure.
Every case is unique, and it can be hard to find answers on your own — call us for a free case review and we'll help you get an idea of what you're up against.
Marijuana in Torrance, CA
Marijuana Description: Marijuana is a mind-altering substance derived from a plant leaf. California used to outlaw the use of marijuana, however, in 2016 the state passed Proposition 64, allowing it in recreational circumstances.
Because California no longer criminalizes using it, marijuana (AKA cannabis) cases in Torrance, CA, frequently center around when and where it is used. As an example, you're allowed to grow a small number of plants for personal use, but they must be kept in a private, secure area.
Marijuana Legal Overview:
- Adults over the age of 21 can carry 28.5 grams of marijuana on their person
- Typically, it is legal to grow up to six marijuana plants
- Still illegal to use or possess under federal law.
How Your Torrance, CA, Drug Charges Lawyer Can Help: If you've been accused of marijuana-related charges, we are ready for your case. For example, we can argue that you were permitted to have cannabis, argue that you remained within legal limitations, and/or make the case that no laws were violated in the handling of the plant.
Different Types of Drug Charges in Torrance, CA
The Law Offices of David S. Chesley is ready to defend you against drug charges in Torrance, CA. We are prepared to fight against accusations including possession, sale, and special enhancements. Read the sections below to learn more about the different categories of charges and how our criminal defense attorneys can help.
Drug Possession/Use Charges
The most common drug charges in Torrance, CA, are often those related to possession. These can be charged for any illegal substance and these charges can apply if the drugs are on your person, in your vehicle, or anywhere you would control access to them.
- Possession of a Controlled Substance
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
- Under the Influence of a Controlled Substance
- Hard Drug Possession
Your Torrance, CA, drug charges lawyer can build defenses that cast doubt on whether or not the drugs were in your possession, and can advocate for diversionary programs to keep you out of jail.
Relevant statutes: Simple possession of most hard drugs falls under Health and Safety Code 11350, while possession of methamphetamine is instead covered by HS 11377. Both are typically charged as misdemeanors, punishable by up to one year in county jail, for defendants without disqualifying prior convictions.
Drug Production/Transport/Distribution Charges
Accusations of drug production, transportation, and distribution take on the other side of a drug deal: The alleged seller.
- Manufacturing or Producing Controlled Substances
- Cultivation of Marijuana
- Maintaining a Place for Drug Sales/Use
- Drug Trafficking
- Transportation of a Controlled Substance
- Sale of Controlled Substance
- Drug Possession for Sale
These allegations are almost always considered more serious than possession. A drug crimes defense lawyer can help you negotiate a plea to a less serious offense.
Relevant statutes: Possession for sale generally falls under HS 11351 (most controlled substances) or HS 11378 (methamphetamine). As a straight felony, each is punishable by two, three, or four years in state prison and fines up to $20,000. Sale and transportation for sale charges are divided in a similar way: HS 11352 (most substances) vs. HS 11379 (methamphetamine). These charges carry longer exposure — up to nine years if the transportation crosses non-contiguous counties. With the help of an experienced Torrance, CA, drug charges lawyer, you can fight for a plea deal that reduces these charges and opens up diversion opportunities.
Drug Charge Enhancements
California's drug charge enhancement laws cover a variety of situations, but one thing connects them together: They don't exist in a vacuum. In order to be charged with an enhancement, there has to be another criminal accusation.
It's even more important to hire an experienced Torrance, CA, drug crimes lawyer to defend you in these cases, so that they can fight both the base charge and the enhancement.
Federal Drug Charges
A federal drug charge could fall into any of the three categories above. What sets these apart is that the federal government is prosecuting you instead of the state government.
These can include anything from manufacturing to running a drug ring, but normally it will involve large quantities and/or crossing state lines. If you're accused of this, you're up against truly severe penalties, such as a life sentence and substantial fines.
If you're accused of a drug crime in federal court, you're up against a lot. And you need a a leading criminal defense lawyer who's prepared to battle the United States government. Our office will conduct investigations, research applicable laws, challenge evidence, and make every effort to secure a positive result for you.
Torrance, CA Drug Charges and DUIs
Drug cases often intersect with another type of case in Torrance, CA: DUIs. Drug DUI defense cases can include a many different situations, including everything from driving while high on marijuana to operating a motor vehicle while impaired by prescribed medication. Legal regulations often make these charges more serious than typical DUIs. For example, you can be arrested if there is any amount of THC in your system while driving (as opposed to alcoholwhich has a legal limit).
When accused of drug DUI charges, you don't just need a drug charges lawyer. You also need a skillful Torrance, CA, DUI defense lawyer who fight on your behalf both in criminal court and at the DMV hearing. Don't wait to get help — for most DUI cases, you only have ten days after an arrest to request a hearing.
Qualities in a Good Drug Charges Defense Lawyer
When picking a drug charges lawyer in Torrance, CA, to take your case, it can be overwhelming trying to decide the right person to represent you. Your freedom and rights hang in the balance.
Here are the top factors you want to see in your drug allegations defense attorney:
- Vast Experience defending clients in your situation
- Personal Experience as a prosecutor
- A Track Record of Victories when fighting drug charges for clients
- Availability Anytime in case an emergency occurs and you need help
We don't make false promises about your case, and you can call us 24/7 if something new develops.
Possible Defense Tactics Against Drug Charges
Your charges might be the same as someone else's, but your case is unique. No two cases in Torrance, CA, are identical, and you should have a unique defense strategy to match.
Our attorneys treat every client as an individual. Below are some strong strategies your drug charges lawyer will consider:
- Illegal Search and Seizure: If the police searched you, your vehicle, or your dwelling without either probable cause or a warrant, that evidence can be thrown out.
- Lack of Intent: Most laws surrounding drugs only make it a crime if you intend to break them.
- Not Your Drugs: If the substance in question was, in fact, illegal, but belonged to another person, you shouldn't face possession charges.
- Entrapment: In rare cases, if an undercover police officer coerced you into violating the law, you can be found innocent of the criminal charges.
- Prescription: These defenses hinge on your medical status, and if a doctor prescribed you a given substance.
- Plea Negotiations: Plea negotiations not only reduce the level of charges you're facing, but can also open up diversion avenues.
If you need a drug crimes defense attorney in Torrance, CA, reach out to our firm for immediate help.
Torrance, CA, Drug Charge Diversion Options:
Torrance has diversion and treatment options available — be sure to ask your Torrance, CA, drug charges lawyer about whether or not they apply to your case. To qualify, defendants must meet legal guidelines. These are some of the :
PC 1000 Drug Diversion
California PC 1000 pretrial diversion is a pretrial diversion path for specified eligible charges and people under Penal Code §§ 1000–1000.1. The present process begins with a not-guilty plea and court-approved education or treatment conditions, rather than the former guilty-plea Deferred Entry of Judgment procedure. After satisfactory completion, a positive program recommendation and the required motion, the court dismisses the eligible charge within the statutory period. The actual order and Penal Code § 1000.4 control arrest-record effects and exceptions; enrollment alone does not promise dismissal or erase every consequence. For related context, see collateral consequences.
Proposition 36 (2024)
The 2024 Proposition 36 treatment laws created a treatment-mandated felony process in Health and Safety Code § 11395 for specified repeat possession cases. It is different from the 2000 Proposition 36 treatment law and from current PC 1000 pretrial diversion. Counsel should compare the filed offense, substance and criminal-history allegation with the specific statute before describing an available treatment path.
A 2024 Health and Safety Code § 11395 treatment background-mandated felony allegation requires a qualifying current possession offense involving a listed drug and at least two prior convictions for the statutes enumerated in § 11395(c). Those priors must be alleged in the accusatory pleading and admitted in open court or found true. Two unspecified “drug convictions” do not establish eligibility or felony exposure. A person electing the treatment path pleads guilty or no contest, admits qualifying priors and has judgment deferred during an individualized court-approved program.
Your Torrance, CA, drug charges lawyer can help you understand whether you qualify for treatment options, explore sentencing and charge alternatives with you, and come up with a strategy that maximizes your chances of a positive outcome.
Drug Convictions' Impact on Immigration Status
For immigrants in Torrance, CA, you're facing even more serious consequences than a U.S. citizen — you need a law firm who can help you fight the criminal charges and defend you in immigration court, if necessary.
The federal government can initiate removal proceedings for most drug convictions, with one specific exception: a single offense involving possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana for personal use. This can affect lawful permanent residents ("green card" holders) as well as visa holders, and it can be a factor independent of whether or not the conviction includes a jail sentence.
Important factors to be aware of:
- Simple possession for personal use (other than certain rare substances) is normally a deportable offense, but is not automatically classified as an "aggravated felony" — meaning that you likely won't lose access to certain modes of immigration relief.
- Possession for sale, sale, or trafficking convictions are not treated as lightly. They are typically classified as aggravated felonies, which can trigger mandatory deportation with little to no opportunity for relief or future re-entry.
- How a charge is pleaded matters enormously. Under Padilla v. Kentucky, defense counsel is supposed to advise a client of these immigration consequences before a plea is entered. An attorney who understands both sides can negotiate a resolution — such as a plea to a non-drug offense, or a disposition that doesn't include specific "aggravated felony" language — that may preserve a client's ability to stay in the country.
Because a criminal record can bring immigration consequences regardless of the sentence, you need to get expert help as soon as you're aware of an investigation. If you are a non-citizen fighting a drug charge, tell your attorney immediately — this plays a major role in your case, and your lawyer should help you on both fronts.
Frequently Asked Questions
If my drug charges are dismissed, can anyone still see them?
An arrest or dismissed case can appear in some records. PC 1000 and the 2024 § 11395 treatment path have different entry requirements and defined dismissal effects. Penal Code § 1000.4 deems a qualifying arrest not to have occurred after successful diversion for specified purposes but contains law-enforcement and licensing exceptions; a sealing order may be issued. Ask counsel what the actual disposition and order mean for a particular background check, license or immigration question rather than assuming every record vanishes.
Reading the charge and the two drug-treatment laws
The complaint and citation matter more than a broad label such as “drug crime.” Simple possession under Health and Safety Code § 11350 or § 11377, being under the influence under § 11550, possession for sale under § 11351 or § 11378, and transportation for sale under § 11352 or § 11379 require different proof. If police found an item in a shared car or room, the government still has to prove knowing control of the charged substance; shared access alone neither proves nor defeats possession. If a sale allegation appears, ask what evidence supports intent to sell beyond the amount. If a transportation allegation appears, the current statutes require transportation for sale. Keep the complaint, release conditions, any search inventory and later lab result together so counsel can compare what was first alleged with what was actually filed.
PC 1000 today is pretrial diversion, not a present-day guilty-plea “Deferred Entry of Judgment” procedure. Penal Code § 1000 lists eligible offenses and history/charge conditions. Section 1000.1 says the defendant pleads not guilty, waives specified speedy-hearing and trial rights, and may enter a court-approved education or treatment program. The court dismisses an eligible charge after successful completion, a positive recommendation and the required motion within the statutory timing. Enrollment alone does not dismiss the case. Some court pages still use the older DEJ shorthand; the actual statutory procedure and signed order control. Section 1000.4 defines the qualified arrest-record effect and exceptions, including licensing and law-enforcement contexts. It permits, rather than automatically issues, a sealing order.
The 2024 Proposition 36 is different from the 2000 Proposition 36 treatment measure. The newer measure added Health and Safety Code § 11395, a treatment-mandated felony process for specified possession offenses and substances. Two prior convictions are relevant only if they are among the statutes listed in § 11395(c), are alleged in the charging paper, and are admitted or found true. A person who elects the statutory treatment path pleads guilty or no contest and admits qualifying priors, with judgment deferred while treatment proceeds. After successful completion, a positive recommendation and the specified motion, the court dismisses the charge and applies the arrest protections the law identifies. This is not automatic eligibility for anyone with “two drug priors,” and it should not be confused with current PC 1000. The old and new Proposition 36 paths have different plea and record consequences.
The defense review should match the charge to evidence: source and custody of any substance, laboratory identification, who controlled the location, statements and recordings, alleged sale indicators, search authority, and prior-conviction documents. A person considering treatment should ask about program length, cost, attendance, testing, consequences of noncompletion and whether the actual case qualifies. A noncitizen should obtain criminal and immigration advice before any admission or plea; a California dismissal does not answer every federal question. If professional licensing, employment, or a driving allegation also matters, raise it at the start rather than relying on a generic promise that a drug case will leave “no record.”
Evidence questions to bring to the first case review
Write a private timeline of the stop, search and arrest while details are fresh. Note who could access the vehicle, room, bag or device; where each item was located; what the officer said was observed; and whether a search warrant, claimed consent or other asserted authority appears in the report. Keep a copy of lawful prescription records, relevant messages, treatment documentation and any witness names for counsel. Do not ask others to coordinate stories or delete material. The defense may need to compare body-camera footage, dispatch records, laboratory notes and chain-of-custody records with the filed charge rather than relying on the arrest summary alone.
If the accusation is possession for sale, ask which facts are alleged to show intent to sell and whether the prosecution can actually link those facts to the accused person. Packaging, cash or phone messages can have more than one explanation; they do not replace proof of the statutory elements. If the accusation is transportation for sale, ask what supports the for-sale purpose rather than assuming any travel with a substance meets the charge. A manufacturing or cultivation count needs its own process, equipment, plant-count and control analysis. A firearm, school-zone, jail-entry or fentanyl enhancement must be identified separately in the papers and supported by the additional facts its statute requires. That distinction keeps a serious enhancement from being treated as an automatic consequence of the base drug count.
Finally, keep court and administrative papers separate. A possession citation is not itself a drug-impaired-driving charge. If officers also allege driving under the influence, review the vehicle-law count, test timeline and any DMV notice with counsel as distinct deadlines. If a case is dismissed or completed through diversion, request the final minute order and ask what record relief actually follows. The court’s order, not a generic online success story, determines the next administrative step.
More questions about drug charges
Do I have to talk to police if I'm caught with drugs?
Comply with lawful instructions and give identifying information when required, but do not assume you must discuss the alleged substance or sign a narrative statement without counsel. Ask to speak with a lawyer. Preserve any citation, search inventory and release paper so counsel can review the actual charge and how the evidence was obtained.
Can I expunge a previous drug conviction in Torrance, CA?
California offers different dismissal and record-relief paths; “expunged” and “sealed” are not the same. Penal Code § 1203.4 is a qualified dismissal, not deletion for every purpose. A successful PC 1000 case has the specific arrest-record rules in § 1000.4, including exceptions. An attorney should review the actual disposition, program completion and application before predicting what a background check or licensing agency will see.
What's the difference between PC 1000 and Proposition 36 diversion?
Current PC 1000 under Penal Code §§ 1000–1000.1 is pretrial diversion for eligible charges and people, with a not-guilty plea and specified program conditions. The 2024 Proposition 36 added HSC § 11395 for certain repeat possession allegations with enumerated priors; a treatment election involves a guilty or no-contest plea with judgment deferred. The 2000 Proposition 36 treatment law is different again. Eligibility and record effects depend on the actual statute and court order.
Does Torrance, CA, prosecute drug possession charges as felonies?
A first arrest does not determine the charge by itself. Many simple-possession allegations are misdemeanors, but the substance, alleged conduct, a sale or manufacturing count, an enhancement, or a qualifying history can change the analysis. The 2024 HSC § 11395 treatment-mandated felony requires specified current possession conduct and enumerated priors alleged and established. Have counsel read the complaint and history before drawing a sentencing conclusion.
