Shubar Charles has been held in the Essex County Jail since April on a one hundred fifty thousand dollar cash bail since he was first charged with cocaine and gun crimes in the Lynn District Court. He has now been indicted by an Essex County Grand Jury and his case will be prosecuted in the Salem Superior Court. On April 3, 2009 police went to Charles home armed with a warrant for a New Bedford criminal case. When they located Charles he was in possession of cocaine, a handgun and some ammunition. Charles had some prior drug convictions. The district attorney charged him with possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
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Lynn Massachusetts Man With Prior Criminal Record Indicted For Guns, Drugs
The firearm charge itself carries a maximum five year state prison sentence. There is a minimum mandatory eighteen month sentence that Charles will have to serve if convicted of this crime. The crime of possessing ammunition is a misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in the county house of correction. The possession with intent to distribute Class B carries a maximum ten year state prison sentence with no minimum mandatory under most circumstances. However where the defendant has prior convictions there is a minimum mandatory three year state prison sentence. According to this article Charles has prior convictions. He is facing a mandatory three year sentence on all counts. The firearm count and the charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine can run concurrently if a judge chooses to do so after a trial or a guilty plea. Sometimes these cases can be plea bargained to reduce the minimum mandatory exposure that the defendant is facing. That often depends on the nature of the offense, the person’s criminal record and any personal history that might warrant the consideration of a lesser sentence.
We have been defending drug and gun cases in Massachusetts successfully for over twenty years. If you have been charged with one of these crimes call us at 617-263-6800 or contact us online.