A drug charge in Michigan is not something to treat lightly. Whether you are facing a simple possession charge or something more serious like drug trafficking or manufacturing, the potential consequences are real and can follow you for years. Jail time, steep fines, a permanent criminal record, loss of your driver’s license, and restrictions on where you can live or work are all possibilities depending on the charge and your history.
Geherin Law Group, PLLC is a criminal defense law firm based in Ann Arbor that handles state-level drug cases throughout Washtenaw County and the surrounding region. Our lawyers understand how these cases move through the local courts, and we bring a level of experience to this work that most law offices cannot match.
Michigan takes drug offenses seriously. The penalties vary depending on the type of drug involved, the quantity, and what you were allegedly doing with it. Possession, delivery, manufacturing, and trafficking each carry different exposure under state law.
For Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 controlled substances, which include drugs like cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, even a possession charge for a small amount can result in up to four years in prison. Larger quantities bring much harsher penalties. Charges involving the delivery or manufacture of those same substances can result in sentences ranging from four years to twenty years, or more, depending on weight. At the most serious end, large-scale trafficking can potentially carry a life sentence under Michigan law.
Beyond prison time, a conviction can also bring:
These consequences do not resolve quickly or quietly. They can shape the direction of your life for a long time after the case is closed.
Drug charges cover a wide range of conduct. The three most common categories we handle are possession, trafficking, and manufacturing.
Drug Possession
Possession means having a controlled substance on your person or within your control, such as in your vehicle or your home. Michigan law distinguishes between different controlled substances and places them into schedules based on their risk of abuse. Drugs like fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine fall into the higher schedules and carry more serious penalties. Possession of these substances, even in small amounts, can be charged as a felony.
The quantity of drugs found matters a great deal. If the amount in your possession is large enough that it could suggest you intended to sell or distribute it, prosecutors may charge you with possession with intent to deliver rather than simple possession. That is a separate and more serious charge.
Drug Trafficking
Drug trafficking, sometimes charged as delivery or possession with intent to deliver, generally refers to selling, distributing, or transporting controlled substances. Prosecutors do not need to catch you in the act of selling. The quantity of drugs found, the presence of scales, packaging materials, large amounts of cash, or communications on your phone can all be used to support a trafficking charge.
Michigan has some of the most serious trafficking penalties in the country. For cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, and similar substances, trafficking larger quantities can result in decades in prison and fines that reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Trafficking near a school or involving a minor can increase those penalties further.
Drug Manufacturing
Manufacturing a controlled substance means producing an illegal drug through chemical processes or other means. This could involve operating a lab to produce methamphetamine or processing other substances into a form that can be sold or used. Manufacturing charges are treated similarly to delivery charges under Michigan law. A conviction for manufacturing can result in serious prison time depending on the drug and the quantity involved.
It is also worth noting that you do not have to be running a large operation to face a manufacturing charge. Even small-scale production can result in a felony charge.
After an arrest, your case will typically begin in one of the district courts in Washtenaw County. The Ann Arbor Police Department, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, and the Michigan State Police all operate in and around Ann Arbor and may be involved in drug investigations here. If your charge is a felony, the case will eventually proceed to the Washtenaw County Trial Court at 101 E. Huron Street, where felony drug cases are heard before the 22nd Circuit Court.
The period right after an arrest is when some of the most important decisions in your case get made. What you say to police, whether you consent to searches, and how quickly you contact a defense attorney can all affect how your case unfolds. Reaching out to a lawyer as soon as possible gives your defense team the most options.
Actually, one thing that many people do not realize is that evidence gathered through an unlawful search or an improper traffic stop may be challenged in court. If law enforcement violated your constitutional rights in the process of gathering evidence, that evidence could potentially be excluded. Suppressing key evidence can significantly change the direction of a case.
Every drug case is different. There is no single path that works for every situation, and the facts of your case will shape what options may be available.
That said, there are common defense considerations in drug cases. In many situations, we look at:
We evaluate each case on its own merits. The goal is to identify where the prosecution may have weaknesses and to use that information to build the strongest possible defense.
There is a real difference between attorneys in criminal defense, and it shows in how they approach your case.
Dan Geherin is the lead defense attorney at Geherin Law Group, PLLC and brings more than 25 years of experience to every case. Before entering private defense work, he served as a prosecutor. That background gives him a clear understanding of how the other side builds a case and where those cases tend to be vulnerable.
Dan has also been board-certified as a criminal trial attorney by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA). The NBTA is accredited by the American Bar Association, and only a small percentage of attorneys nationwide achieve this certification. To earn it, an attorney must demonstrate hundreds of hours of jury trial experience, pass a rigorous written examination on criminal law, procedure, and ethics, and receive written recommendations from attorneys, prosecutors, and judges. It is a demanding standard, and very few attorneys reach it. Dan is one of only a small number of board-certified criminal trial attorneys practicing in Michigan and, as of the most recent information available, the only one in Washtenaw County.
Combined, the attorneys at Geherin Law Group, PLLC bring over 60 years of criminal defense experience. That depth of knowledge matters when you are facing charges that could affect the rest of your life.
Ann Arbor sits along I-94 and US-23, both of which are active corridors for law enforcement stops and drug interdiction. Drug cases in this area can originate from traffic stops, investigations, controlled buys, and searches connected to other charges. The University of Michigan campus and surrounding neighborhoods in Ann Arbor, including areas near Packard Street, Stadium Boulevard, and the Old West Side, have all seen drug-related enforcement activity.
Washtenaw County prosecutors handle a significant number of drug cases each year, and they are familiar with the full range of charges from simple possession through large-scale trafficking operations. Our lawyers are equally familiar with how the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office approaches these cases and how cases are handled at both the district court and circuit court levels.
It is also worth knowing that Washtenaw County has a Drug Treatment Court program for certain qualifying individuals. This type of program is designed to offer an alternative path for non-violent defendants, focused on treatment and supervision rather than incarceration. Whether someone qualifies depends on the nature of the charge, their criminal history, and other factors. An attorney can help evaluate whether this may be a realistic option.
Yes. And the sooner the better.
Drug charges in Michigan carry consequences that reach far beyond the courtroom. Your employment, your housing, your professional licenses, and your personal record can all be affected by a conviction. Speaking with a defense attorney early in the process helps you understand what you are facing and what options may be available to you.
At Geherin Law Group, PLLC, our attorneys handle drug cases involving possession, trafficking, manufacturing, and related charges. We also handle related criminal matters including OWI charges, assault, domestic violence, and other criminal defense needs that sometimes arise in connection with drug cases.
If you are dealing with a drug charge in Ann Arbor or anywhere in Washtenaw County, we encourage you to contact our law firm to discuss your situation. The sooner we can review the facts of your case, the more we may be able to do on your behalf.
Washtenaw County prosecutors handle a significant number of drug cases each year, and they are familiar with the full range of charges from simple possession through large-scale trafficking operations. Our attorneys are equally familiar with how the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office approaches these cases and how cases are handled at both the district court and circuit court levels.
It is also worth knowing that Washtenaw County has a Drug Treatment Court program for certain qualifying individuals. This type of program is designed to offer an alternative path for non-violent defendants, focused on treatment and supervision rather than incarceration. Whether someone qualifies depends on the nature of the charge, their criminal history, and other factors. An attorney can help evaluate whether this may be a realistic option.
