Unless the court finds that the offender provided substantial assistance, the offender convicted for drug trafficking must receive the following minimum and maximum sentence regardless of the prior record level. A controlled substance is simply a drug. The North Carolina Drug Education School is a state-approved program under North Carolina General Statute 90-96 that allows for the conditional discharge of criminal convictions for first time offenders accused of drug violations. An NC DMV administrative suspension can be extended all the way to lasting for a full year and this is for the first-time DUI-DWI offender. Most first-offense DWIs are classified at level V, VI, or III. A first-time offender convicted of Class G sale of a Schedule I controlled substance could get an 8-month minimum sentence and probation. — without the possibility of parole — for a first-time, nonviolent marijuana offense.. A Class G trafficker gets 35–51 months, active, plus a $25,000 fine. What is a Controlled Substance? Comparatively, the same first-time offender, if convicted of a Class H felony that is not a drug trafficking offense, would likely avoid an active prison sentence and only serve a term of probation. This even includes first time offenders. A first-time offender convicted of Class G sale of a Schedule I controlled substance could get an 8-month minimum sentence and probation. C raig Cesal is currently serving life behind bars at a federal prison in Terre Haute, Ind. Those convicted on drug possession charges face a wide gamut of penalties at sentencing, varying from state to state. A Class G trafficker gets 35–51 months, active, plus a $25,000 fine. Jail time. Looking at the average prison sentences given for drug-related offenses, Iowa is the harshest state with the average sentence given being 111 months. North Carolina Drug Possession Penalties. (October 2017) Using fiscal year 2016 data, this publication includes analysis similar to that in the 2017 Overview Publication, providing sentencing data on offenses carrying drug mandatory minimums, the impact on the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) population, and differences observed when analyzing each of five main drug types. Also see my separate marijuana possession penalties page. The punishments DWI offenders face depend on the classification level of the offense. Penalties for simple possession range from a fine of less than $100 and/or a few days in jail to thousands of dollars and several years in state prison for the same offense. Criminal Penalties. Every drug is classified as either a Schedule I, II, III, IV, V, or VI controlled substance. The First Offender Drug Program is a limited-supervision program for first-time drug offenders that would be considered a “self-corrector.” The following offenses may be eligible: Possession of Controlled Substance, under 1 gram; Possession of Controlled Substance, 1 - 4 grams; Possession of Controlled Substance under 2 ounces Schedule I controlled substances are considered the most dangerous, while Schedule VI controlled substances are considered the least dangerous. Rhode Island is the state where drug offenders are most likely to avoid jail time with only 62.5% of drug-related offenses resulting in prison sentences. The following chart represents your potential sentence if you are charged with a first offense drug possession charge under North Carolina drug laws. As a condition for license reinstatement, the offender must complete a drug and alcohol assessment and treatment as required by the court. 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