Bloomington Drug Crime Attorneys

Skilled Defense When You Need It

If you are facing a drug charge in Bloomington, the attorney you choose matters. Drug cases in Minnesota can escalate quickly. What begins as a possession charge can carry serious felony consequences depending on the substance, the quantity, and the circumstances of your arrest, and your defense team needs to be ready for anything.

At Tamburino Law Group, we have the credentials, the courtroom experience, and the determination to position us for any drug crime charge you put in front of us. No matter what is going on in your case, we’re ready to fight for your rights.

Bloomington residents trust us with their drug crime defense because:

• Attorney Joe Tamburino is a Minnesota State Bar Association Board Certified Specialist in Criminal Law, a distinction held by around 50 attorneys in the entire state.
• Several of our attorneys are former prosecutors, including in the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, giving us direct insight into how the state builds its cases.
• Our team brings over a century of collective legal experience to every case.
• We have represented thousands of clients and taken hundreds of cases to jury trial.
• We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including nights, weekends, and holidays.

Call us at (612) 444-5020 to speak with our team any time. We defend clients in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties. Plus, your first case review is FREE!

Ready to Fight for Your Freedom

Our first step when working on a case is usually a thorough review of everything that happened, such as:

• How you were stopped
• How the search was conducted
• How evidence was collected and handled
• Whether law enforcement followed proper procedure at every stage

We can scrutinize the chain of custody documentation, the accuracy and calibration of any testing equipment used, and whether the substance in question was properly identified. We also carefully examine claims of constructive possession for drug crime defense cases, such as when drugs are found near a person but do not clearly belong to them. Depending on the facts of your case, our defense may involve filing motions to suppress evidence, negotiating a reduction in charges, pursuing diversion or treatment alternatives, or taking the matter to trial. We are fully prepared for all those paths.

For an example of what we can accomplish through the use of our team’s methods, resources, and experience, Attorney Hannah Martin successfully had a drug possession charge dismissed for a client who was simply a passenger in a friend's vehicle when officers conducted a search.

Drug Charges We Commonly Defend Against

Minnesota's controlled substance laws, codified under Minn. Stat. § 152, create a degree-based system in which the severity of a charge is determined by the type of drug, the quantity involved, and whether the conduct involved possession or sale.

The charges we have often defended against for our clients in Bloomington include:

• Drug possession (5th through 1st degree under § 152.025–§ 152.021)
• Possession with intent to distribute
• Sale of a controlled substance
• Drug distribution and trafficking
• Drug smuggling
• Drug paraphernalia charges

Minnesota legalized recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older in 2023, but criminal exposure under state law did not disappear entirely. Possessing more than two ounces of cannabis in a public place, possessing more than two pounds within a private residence, selling cannabis without a license, providing cannabis to a minor, and driving while impaired by cannabis can all still result in criminal charges. If your case involves cannabis, an attorney can help you understand where the legal line falls and whether a charge against you is defensible.

Criminal Penalties & Consequences That Extend Beyond Them

Under Minn. Stat. § 152, drug convictions carry significant potential penalties:

• Fifth-degree controlled substance crime: Up to 5 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $10,000
• Fourth-degree controlled substance crime: Up to 15 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $100,000
• Third-degree controlled substance crime: Up to 20 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $250,000
• Second-degree controlled substance crime: Up to 25 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $500,000
• First-degree controlled substance crime: Up to 30 years in prison and/or a fine of up to $1,000,000

A sentence, however, is only part of what a conviction can cost you. The collateral consequences, like those not imposed by a judge but felt in everyday life, can be equally significant.

If you are convicted of a drug crime, you could feel additional “penalties” through:

• Difficulty passing employer background checks and finding stable work
• Disqualification from certain professional and occupational licenses
• Loss of eligibility for federal student financial aid
• Complications in housing applications, including public housing disqualification
• Immigration consequences for non-citizens
• Effects on child custody and family court proceedings

These are among the many reasons that even a fifth-degree possession charge deserves a serious, committed defense.

Frequently Asked Questions About Drug Charges in Minnesota

Can I be charged with a drug crime if the drugs were not mine?

Yes. Minnesota law recognizes what is called "constructive possession," meaning you can be charged even if drugs were not found directly on your person if prosecutors can argue you had knowledge of the drugs and some degree of control over them. This situation arises frequently when drugs are found in a shared vehicle, a common area of a home, or near multiple people.

Does the type of drug I was charged with affect the severity of my case?

Yes. Minnesota categorizes controlled substances into schedules (Schedule I through V), and the specific substance involved directly affects the degree of the charge and its associated penalties. Heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine carry the harshest consequences under state law, for example. The quantity found also plays a major role, so the same drug can trigger anything from a misdemeanor to a first-degree felony depending on the amount involved.

Do I need to hire an attorney for my drug crime defense case?

You are not legally required to hire an attorney to handle your drug crime defense case, but it is highly recommended. When you hire an attorney, all their resources, knowledge, and experience effectively become your own because they are permitted to act on your behalf. Also, it is recommended that you hire a private defense attorney who can devote as much time as needed to prepare your case, rather than rely on a public defense attorney; public defenders are notoriously short on time because they often have dozens of cases to handle at one time without the help of support staff.

Call Our Bloomington Drug Crime Attorney Today

No matter what drug charge you are facing, you deserve a defense that takes your case seriously from day one. That’s what you’ll find at Tamburino Law Group, where our Bloomington drug crime lawyers take pride in standing up for the criminally accused. Talk to us today and start preparing a defense with professional guidance.

Call (612) 444-5020 any time for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. We are available around the clock, and we are ready to get to work.