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Secrets of the Texas Criminal Justice System and Your Rights
Law enforcement in Odessa and throughout Texas take all drug offenses seriously. Prosecutors are especially harsh, however, when the offense involves drug trafficking or distribution of controlled substances.
If you were accused of distributing or transporting an illicit drug, you could face years in prison. Fortunately, there may be strong defenses available in your case. Talk to an Odessa drug trafficking lawyer about your options.
Odessa Authorities are Cracking Down on Drug Trafficking
Law enforcement throughout the state tends to be extremely aggressive toward drug offenses. They have drug interdiction programs and sometimes pull people over in situations that ordinarily would not result in a stop. For example, police could stop someone for going 71 miles per hour in a 70 mph zone. Even a minor traffic violation, such as driving on the fog line, provides police with a legal justification to initiate a traffic stop. Once a vehicle pulls over, authorities may smell marijuana, ask for consent to search a vehicle, or bring in a drug dog if they say they have probable cause.
Drug Trafficking Cases Involving Multiple Defendants
Drug trafficking cases frequently involve multiple defendants. Law enforcement is on the lookout for two cars that are driving in tandem, staying together and passing other cars. Police often consider this driving behavior a signal that the cars might contain drugs. One vehicle may be speeding and looking out for law enforcement. If police notice this behavior, both cars may be stopped and searched. If police find drugs, even if only one vehicle carried contraband, they may arrest the occupants of both vehicles.
A drug trafficking case may also involve multiple defendants if several people are in the same location when police execute a search warrant. A key question in these cases is how the police determine how many and which individuals have knowledge of the drugs found on the scene.
Each time there is more than one person involved in a drug bust, there is potentially more evidence pointing to a certain individual than others. The police will often try to get one defendant to flip or testify against other defendants. In some situations, the original search warrant may have been issued based upon information provided by an undercover agent or confidential informant, and law enforcement may be targeting a specific person. Authorities look at all of these issues to try to determine which person has criminal liability.
Contact an Odessa Drug Trafficking Attorney Today
Drug trafficking is a very serious crime that could result in a lengthy periods of incarceration and heavy fines. Almost all drug trafficking offenses are felonies and are treated very seriously by the District Attorneys. Upon conviction, individuals could be left with a permanent felony record that is visible to future employers, landlords, and educational institutions. In addition to damaging someone’s personal and professional reputation, a felony conviction can cause someone to lose certain rights.
If you were arrested for drug trafficking, you could benefit from speaking with an attorney immediately. A skilled defense lawyer could carefully examine the evidence against you and exploit any weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. To schedule a consultation, with an Odessa drug trafficking lawyer. Call now.