Publication date: 14.05.2025
Aleksei Aleksandrovych Panasenko is a lawyer and expert in criminal law, specializing in cases involving corruption and bribery offenses. He provides reliable protection of clients’ rights and interests at all stages of criminal proceedings.
🔹 Lawyer: Panasenko Oleksii
🔹 Service: Defense in a criminal case involving drug smuggling
Client's Situation
In October 2023, a citizen approached the law firm "Prykhodko & Partners" facing a serious criminal situation. He had been served with a suspicion of committing two criminal offenses:
Part 2, Article 305 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — drug smuggling,
Part 1, Article 309 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — possession of drugs without the intent to distribute.
The client, under intense psychological pressure, admitted that he had indeed ordered a small amount of drugs online for personal use, received the package through an international postal service, and was then detained by law enforcement. During a search, drug residues were also found in his apartment, which led to an additional charge under Article 309.
Legal Objective
From the beginning, the client set clear goals for the lawyer:
- resolve the case as quickly as possible,
- avoid imprisonment,
- exit the stressful situation without a serious criminal record.
Given the seriousness of the charges — in particular, drug smuggling, which is considered a particularly grave crime and carries a sentence of up to 10 years of actual imprisonment — the task seemed extremely difficult.
Selected Defense Strategy
The legal team led by lawyer Panasenko Oleksii adopted a strategy of cooperative remorse — meaning open admission of guilt, full cooperation with the investigation, and a constructive approach at all stages of the proceedings.
Key stages of the strategy implementation:
Evidence base analysis:
▪️ It was acknowledged that the evidence collected by the investigation had high procedural quality and confirmed the offense.
▪️ Therefore, it was decided not to waste time on futile attempts to challenge it.
Legal argumentation of the position:
▪️ During the trial, the lawyer argued that the client had no intent to distribute,
▪️ It was reasoned that the offense had a low level of public danger,
▪️ Voluntary cooperation with the investigation, sincere remorse, no previous convictions, and a positive character reference were demonstrated.
Negotiations with the prosecution:
▪️ The lawyer engaged in a constructive dialogue with the prosecutor,
▪️ Initiated the conclusion of a plea agreement with a pre-agreed punishment — a fine without imprisonment.
Case Outcome
In July 2024, the court approved the plea agreement.
📌 The client was not imprisoned
📌 A fine was imposed as punishment
📌 The case was resolved quickly, without dragging on for months or years
📌 The client retained his job, social status, and freedom of movement
📌 Avoided forming a criminal background that could have affected his future life
This case clearly demonstrates how professional legal support, a well-considered strategy, and timely decisions can turn a situation with potentially years of imprisonment into a moderate administrative penalty.
Thanks to the actions of lawyer Panasenko Oleksii, the most favorable outcome was achieved, allowing the client to continue living a normal life without serious legal consequences.
