In early August, 2018, Denton, Texas police announced they arrested two adults, a male and a female, on suspicion of a large opiate prescription drug theft and sales operation. The drugs were pharmaceuticals stolen from various freight shipments bound for North Texas pharmacies.

The couple sold an undisclosed quantity of drugs to the public. Law enforcement officers seized prescription opiates from the alleged drug dealers valued at around $1.5 million.

Weapons theft report tip-off

The investigation began when Denton police received a tip in February, 2018, of two adults involved in connection with a weapons theft. The police monitored the male’s home where the couple lived with a male child approximately 10 or 11 years of age. The adult male led undercover officers to a storage facility, and law enforcement set up additional surveillance at that site.

Suspicion of possible drug trafficking and sales

The Denton police contacted the United States Drug Enforcement Administration when they found discarded pharmaceutical drug company packing material at the home and traced it to a local shipping company that employed the male suspect as a freight worker.

Police set up a successful, controlled drug buy directly from the male suspect, then obtained arrest and search warrants for both the adult male and female; officers combed the residence and the storage unit for drugs matching those reported missing. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency assisted in the search.

Large prescription drug seizure

The U.S Drug Enforcement Administration and Denton law enforcement seized over 120,000 medication doses of morphine, hydrocodone, Dilaudid, oxycodone, and fentanyl. The authorities also confiscated 14 weapons and an unspecified amount of cash. The adult male had a prior record of incarceration for possession or manufacture of controlled substances, and the female suspect had a previous history of imprisonment on theft charges of undisclosed stolen goods. The 2018 Denton drug seizure case charged the male adult with illegal possession of weapons and controlled substances. Officers set bail at $520,000. The female received four charges of illegal drug possession and endangerment of a child, with bail set at $175,000. Texas has extremely severe penalties for illegal drug activity as part of the Texas Controlled Substance Act.

Any person suspected of or arrested for a possible drug-related offense may want to obtain professional representation to assist with one of many valid drug charge possession defenses. For people charged with alleged drug-related crimes, an experienced professional will work to reduce charges, lighten attached penalties and, depending on the type of available evidence, can enable a dismissal of charges. Options are available for a legitimate defense to drug charges in Texas.

Texas fans of rapper Young Thug may be aware that he was indicted on a number of drug-related charges in September 2018. However, the rapper said there was improper conduct in the case, and when he appeared in court on March 21, a judge reportedly agreed.

Three law enforcement officers appeared in the courtroom with their evidence after Young Thug entered a motion to have certain evidence in the case suppressed. One law enforcement officer said the traffic stop that led to the charges against Young Thug was initiated by the fact that the tinted windows on his vehicle violated the law. However, the judge ruled that there was no violation and that the rapper’s rights had been violated.

As a result, the stop was considered to be an illegal search and seizure. The order said that any drugs, firearms, statements or other evidence related to the stop could not be used in the case. While this represents a win for Young Thug, the case might still go trial, and the penalty could be several years in prison.

Examining the legality of how evidence was obtained is one tactic an attorney may use when working with someone facing drug-related charges. The concept of illegal search and seizure rests on the idea that there must be probable cause for law enforcement to search a person. Laws around search and seizure during traffic stops have often been interpreted to be less strict than those around searching other pieces of property, such as a person’s home, but as this case demonstrates, this approach may still sometimes lead to the dismissal of evidence. An attorney might also look at whether the person’s rights were violated in other ways when the person was taken into custody.

Source: Hot New Hip Hop, “Young Thug Gets Key Evidence Tossed In Drug Case: Report,” Aron A., 3/22/2019

A routine traffic stop on the evening of March 6 led to a misdemeanor drug possession charge for the superintendent of a major Texas public school district. The man was taken into custody by a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper after less than 2 ounces of marijuana was allegedly discovered in his vehicle. Media reports indicate that he was released from the Robertson County Jail on his own recognizance on March 7.

According to a DPS report, the man’s car was pulled over on U.S. Highway 190 about 55 miles from Waco for driving in the passing lane. The trooper says that he became suspicious and decided to conduct a probable cause search of the vehicle after noticing the odor of marijuana.

The Waco Independent School District has announced that trustees will meet on March 19 to discuss the case. The man is a former Texas Association of School Boards Superintendent of the Year, and reports of his arrest have prompted an outpouring of support from the local community. A Change.org petition supporting the superintendent started by a local resident and retired teacher has been signed by 4,000 people and is expected to surpass its 5,000 signature goal.

Prosecutors are often reluctant to pursue minor marijuana possession cases because they understand that attitudes toward the drug are changing both in law enforcement and society as a whole. When individuals have not been in trouble with the law before and have the support of family members, friends or members of the community, experienced criminal defense attorneys may urge prosecutors to reduce or dismiss drug possession charges involving small amounts of marijuana.

Source: CBS DFW, Superintendent Of Texas School District Accused Of Marijuana Possession, Associated Press report, March 8, 2019Source: The Laredo Morning Times, Petition to support former LISD superintendent charged with possession gets thousands of signatures, JeriLynn Thorpe, March 11, 2019

On Feb. 19, Texas deputies took two men and a teenage boy into custody during a drug raid in Marlin. The arrests took place on the 300 block of Durr Street at approximately 5:30 a.m.

According to a press release issued by the Falls County Sheriff’s Office, deputies raided the home following an investigation into alleged drug activity in the neighborhood. Upon entering the residence, they found two men, a woman, two teenage boys and multiple children. They also found and seized 9 grams of methamphetamine, several small bags of marijuana, a bottle containing over 390 grams of suspected liquid methamphetamine, various items of drug paraphernalia, a surveillance system, night vision equipment, a .45 caliber handgun, a .22 caliber rifle with a modified barrel, two BB guns and just over $1,000 in cash.

The deputies arrested two 40-year-old men and a 17-year-old boy and took them to Falls County Jail for processing. One of the men was first transported to a local emergency room for treatment of minor injuries he suffered while resisting arrest. Both men have been charged with manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance over 400 grams, misdemeanor marijuana possession, possession of drug paraphernalia, resisting arrest and parole violations. One of the men has been additionally charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The teen boy has been charged with possession of marijuana over 2 ounces. He posted a $2,500 bond and was released.

The penalties for a conviction on drug charges can be severe, including incarceration and steep fines. Accordingly, people who have been issued them might find it advisable to meet with a criminal defense attorney at the earliest opportunity so that a strategy to counter the allegations can be constructed.

Source: KWTX, “Local deputies arrest 2 men, teenager in early-morning drug raid“, Rissa Shaw, Feb. 22, 2019