Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Fourth Degree

Definition under New York law

PL 220.09 · Original statutory wording; excerpts must be read together with the full section.

§ 220.09 Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree. A person is guilty of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree when he knowingly and unlawfully possesses: 1. one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances containing a narcotic drug and said preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances are of an aggregate weight of one-eighth ounce or more; or 2. one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances containing methamphetamine, its salts, isomers or salts of isomers and said preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances are of an aggregate weight of one-half ounce or more; or 3. one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances containing a narcotic preparation and said preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances are of an aggregate weight of two ounces or more; or 4. a stimulant and said stimulant weighs one gram or more; or 5. lysergic acid diethylamide and said lysergic acid diethylamide weighs one milligram or more; or 6. a hallucinogen and said hallucinogen weighs twenty-five milligrams or more; or 7. a hallucinogenic substance and said hallucinogenic substance weighs one gram or more; or 8. a dangerous depressant and such dangerous depressant weighs ten ounces or more; or 9. a depressant and such depressant weighs two pounds or more; or 11. phencyclidine and said phencyclidine weighs two hundred fifty milligrams or more; or 12. methadone and said methadone weighs three hundred sixty milligrams or more; or 13. phencyclidine and said phencyclidine weighs fifty milligrams or more with intent to sell it and has previously been convicted of an offense defined in this article or the attempt or conspiracy to commit any such offense; or 14. ketamine and said ketamine weighs four thousand milligrams or more; or 15. one or more preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances containing gamma hydroxybutyric acid, as defined in paragraph four of subdivision (e) of schedule I of section thirty-three hundred six of the public health law, and said preparations, compounds, mixtures or substances are of an aggregate weight of two hundred grams or more. Criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree is a class C felony.

In everyday language

Most alternatives for this offense concern knowing and unlawful possession of a specified drug at or above a specified weight. A separate phencyclidine alternative uses a lower weight threshold but also requires both intent to sell and a qualifying prior conviction.

At a criminal trial, the prosecutor must prove every element of the charged subsection and that you committed the offense beyond a reasonable doubt. An accusation is not proof of guilt. Where the statute provides alternatives, the prosecutor need not prove every alternative; the charged theory matters. Affirmative defenses may have different proof rules.