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Diazepam Attorney in Fort Wayne Fights to Protect Your Rights

Valium lawyer defends cases throughout Indiana

Diazepam, better known by its market name Valium, is a Schedule IV controlled dangerous substance. If you are arrested for unauthorized possession or sale of Valium, you could be charged with a serious misdemeanor or felony drug crime.  But no matter the charge, you should not attempt to negotiate a plea on your own with the prosecuting attorney. To get the best result possible, you need aggressive defense representation from an experienced drug crimes attorney. At the Law Offices of Ryan E. Lackey, we never forget our duty to protect your rights and fight for the best possible outcome. While no attorney can guarantee results, we have a strong track record of success. When you retain our services, you can rely on our diligence and our commitment to your case.

A brief history of a “little yellow pill”

When the Rolling Stones sang “Mother’s Little Helper” in 1966, Valium had been on the market for three years. The drug has since become the most widely prescribed anti-anxiety medication, the first pharmaceutical to achieve more than $1 billion in sales. The drug’s marketing targeted working women and housewives who suffered from “excessive psychic tension and associated depressive symptoms accompanying . . . menopause.” Valium’s addictive qualities were known early on, but it took until 1975 for the U.S. Department of Justice to list it as a Schedule IV controlled dangerous substance. After Elvis Presley suffered a fatal heart attack in 1977, coroners found massive amounts of Valium in his system.

Valium remains a viable drug to treat a variety of disorders, such as muscle spasms, irritable bowel syndrome, night terrors and panic disorder. But it has also been used maliciously as a date rape drug, which gives authorities added motivation to prosecute unauthorized possession as a drug crime.

Penalties for possessing or selling diazepam without a prescription

Dealing Valium is a Class A misdemeanor, with a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a $5,000 fine. But this offense may increase in severity:

  • Level 6 felony — Amount is at least one gram but less than five grams, or less than one gram with an enhancing circumstance. The mandatory minimum sentence is six months.
  • Level 5 felony — Amount is at least five but less than 10 grams, or at least one gram but less than five grams with an enhancing circumstance. The mandatory minimum sentence is one year, and the maximum is six years.
  • Level 4 felony — Amount is at least 10 grams but less than 28, or at least five but less than 10 grams with an enhancing circumstance. The minimum sentence is two years, and the maximum is 12 years.
  • Level 3 felony — Amount is at least 28 grams, or at least 10 grams but less than 28 with an enhancing circumstance. The mandatory minimum sentence is three years, and the maximum is 16 years.

Possession of Valium without a valid prescription is a Class A misdemeanor, unless an enhancing circumstance applies, making it a Level 6 felony.

Contact our Fort Wayne law office for aggressive defense to Valium charges in Indiana

Valium is a relatively safe prescription drug, but its use as a date rape drug has made authorities especially zealous about prosecuting illicit possession and sale. To protect your rights, you need determined defense from an experienced trial lawyer. Call the Law Offices of Ryan E. Lackey today at 260-209-1666 or contact our Fort Wayne office online.