Get Your FREE Copy of the Book by Stephen Hamilton
EXPOSING THE TRUTHSecrets of the Texas Criminal Justice System and Your Rights
If you are a suspect in a Lubbock drug crime such as delivery or possession of a controlled substance, one of the most difficult decisions you can make is whether to act as an informant. The police may want to use you before they arrest you. If you are buying drugs, they may want you to buy larger quantities so they can arrest your dealer for a more serious crime.
If you are selling drugs, they may want you to find out who supplies your supplier with those drugs. They may want you to make controlled buys of larger and larger amounts from several different suppliers so they can eventually arrest them all.
To induce your cooperation, the police might make many promises. They will promise to protect you. The police will promise not to arrest you. They will promise that you will not be prosecuted. You should regard all of those promises as rubbish. When the police are done using you, they will almost always find an excuse to arrest you.
The police have no authority to make deals. Only a prosecutor can make a deal. If you want to act as an informant, you need to talk to an attorney who can speak to a prosecutor on your behalf. More importantly, you need to hear about all the perils of acting as an informant. It is not a decision you should make without a full understanding of the risks you will be taking.
Remember that the police are not on your side. If they think you are using or dealing drugs, they view you as a criminal who deserves to be arrested. No matter what rewards they promise you for acting as an informant, they will only regard you as an asset until you are no longer of value to them.
When they have made all the arrests they can make based on the evidence you supply, you can expect to be arrested yourself. You may even end up being incarcerated in the same jail or prison as the individuals you informed against.
If the police ask you to cooperate with them, the only response you should give is: “I will not talk to you unless my lawyer is present.” No matter what threats or promises the police make after you say that, stick to your guns. Do not make any admissions or statements to the police. Do not say anything other than insisting on your lawyer’s presence during any conversation you have about drug crimes.
Your next step should be to talk to a criminal defense lawyer from Texas Criminal Defense Group at your first opportunity. You may decide that you want to cooperate. That decision is yours to make, but it should be an informed decision. You should cooperate only after your lawyer has done everything possible to protect your rights. After understanding the perils of becoming an informant, many people decide to risk a criminal prosecution instead.
Again, that decision is up to you. Either way, you need legal advice. You can only make your situation worse by speaking to the police without talking to a lawyer first.
© 2024 Texas Criminal Defense Group. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy
