Felony Possession of Marijuana

Las Vegas Drug Attorney Explains Felony Possession of Marijuana in Nevada

Most marijuana possession cases are misdemeanor crimes in Nevada. There are instances where the Las Vegas crime of possession of marijuana is a felony, even if it is your first offense.

All felony offenses result in serious punishments and loss of rights to carry a weapon, as well as a social stigma that may make it difficult to find a job or apartment. If you have been arrested for possessing marijuana in Las Vegas, contact LV Criminal Defense to begin protecting your rights as soon as possible.

When is possession of marijuana a felony in Nevada?

There are three instances when possession of weed is a felony:

• You have three prior misdemeanor convictions for simple possession of less than one ounce of marijuana;
• You are found in possession, even if the first time, with more than one ounce of marijuana; or
• You are caught with cannabis and the judge agrees that you intended to sell it to other people.

What is the punishment for felony marijuana possession in Nevada?

For your first felony offense for weed possession, the court is likely to give you a suspended sentence. This means that you do not have to serve your prison sentence so long as you do not break the law during the time period you would have been in jail otherwise.

If you have never been convicted of a drug crime in any state, the judge may allow you to complete Drug Court. If you complete it successfully, the charges can be dropped completely.

Most other felony marijuana charges are Category E or Category D felonies. These both carry 1 to 4 years in a Nevada prison, with varying amounts of fines (from $5,000 to $20,000).