POSSESSION OF COCAINE (F.S. § 893.13(6)(a))
PRETRIAL INTERVENTION (PTI)
Escambia County, FL
April 10, 2026
Client was charged in Escambia County with Possession of Cocaine (F.S. § 893.13(6)(a)), a third-degree felony carrying up to 5 years in Florida State Prison and up to a $5,000 fine. Cocaine possession is treated more harshly under Florida law than possession of many other controlled substances: the offense triggers automatic license suspension under F.S. § 322.055, presumptive ineligibility for certain forms of federal financial aid, professional licensing consequences across nearly every regulated industry, and a permanent felony drug record that cannot be sealed or expunged. For non-citizens, even a withhold of adjudication on cocaine possession is treated as a "conviction" under the Immigration and Nationality Act and triggers severe immigration consequences. The client had been [REDACTED] at the time of arrest and was in custody at the time the case was pending — making a quick, favorable resolution especially urgent.
The defense team moved aggressively on the front end, identifying Pretrial Intervention (PTI) as the cleanest available path to a complete dismissal and a sealed/expungeable arrest record. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the State's evidence, including the circumstances of the underlying stop and search, chain of custody documentation, and the laboratory testing of the alleged controlled substance. We presented sustained advocacy to the State Attorney's Office emphasizing the client's background, the absence of any aggravating factors, and the disproportionate impact a felony cocaine conviction would have. Through this advocacy, we secured the client's entry into the PTI program. Upon successful completion, the felony cocaine charge will be dismissed entirely and the client will be eligible to seal or expunge the arrest record under Florida law. The client avoided a felony conviction, avoided state prison, preserved driving privileges, voting rights, and firearms rights, and obtained a clean path to a completely sealed record. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; each case depends on its facts and circumstances.