---
title: "What is possession with intent to deliver in Rhode Island?"
description: "Possession with intent to deliver (often written PWID or PWISD) means having a controlled substance that the state says you planned to sell, give away, or share, not just use. It is charged under..."
url: https://www.chadbanklaw.com/faq-items/what-is-possession-with-intent-to-deliver-in-rhode-island/
date: 2026-10-20
modified: 2026-10-20
author: "The Law Office of Chad F Bank"
type: avada_faq
lang: en
---

# What is possession with intent to deliver in Rhode Island?

Possession with intent to deliver (often written PWID or PWISD) means having a controlled substance that the state says you planned to sell, give away, or share, not just use. It is charged under R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-28-4.01(a). Prosecutors usually prove intent through circumstances: the amount, how it was packaged, scales, cash, texts, or a buy. Penalties depend on the drug's schedule. Schedule I or II drugs like cocaine, heroin, or fentanyl carry up to 30 years and fines of $3,000 to $100,000, and up to life for someone the law does not treat as drug-addicted. Schedule III or IV drugs carry up to 20 years. Schedule V carries up to 1 year. Simple possession, by contrast, tops out at 3 years, which is why challenging the intent element is often the core of the defense.