Articles Posted in Drug Sale or Distribution

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A former U.S. postal worker was sentenced to 120 days in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

The 45-year-old was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release following his imprisonment, the Department of Justice said Tuesday.

According to court documents, the former U.S. Postal carrier provided addresses along his delivery route to co-conspirators who arranged to have packages containing marijuana shipped from Oregon to those addresses.

When the packages arrived and were placed in the man’s control, he would scan the packages as delivered to the addresses, and then turn them over to his co-conspirators for further distribution of the marijuana.

He pleaded guilty to the charge on January 11.

Drug conspiracy and distribution charges are quite serious criminal matters that could lead to jail or prison time in addition to other life-changing consequences. If you or someone you love has been charged or is being investigated for conspiracy or distribution of drugs, it is essential to obtain strong legal representation as soon as possible. Our Florida Drug Crimes Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton also urge those accused to refrain from speaking to law enforcement officers about the case until you have secured legal counsel.

Generally speaking, a conspiracy charge means that the prosecution is trying to hold you responsible for the criminal actions of someone else. These charges can erupt from allegedly planning or agreeing to sell an illegal substance. Because no actual crime has to occur to be charged, these cases can be built with very weak evidence.

Our Florida Drug Crimes Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton are former prosecutors who are very familiar with the State’s tricks when pursuing drug conspiracy cases. While every situation is different, we can evaluate your case and develop the best defense with the greatest chance of success.

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17 people have been arrested in connection to a seven-month-long drug investigation, which resulted in the bust of an alleged major drug trafficking organization.

The investigation, which began in September of 2018, allegedly found a significant drug trafficking hub operating out of 1804 South Forbes Road in Plant City.

Over the past several years, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has responded to more than 100 calls of service to that location, the report stated.

According to the sheriff’s office, the investigation involved numerous undercover purchases of methamphetamines, totaling 1,840.1 grams and $27,700 in cash seizures.

The charges range from conspiracy to traffic amphetamine to possession of methamphetamine.

When you are facing federal drug trafficking charges, you may be coming up against the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, or another federal agency that will absolutely be a fierce opponent when it comes to drug charges. Drug trafficking is one of the most serious types of drug crimes. A conviction for a federal drug crime will result in harsher penalties, which can possibly include years in prison or even life in prison. Whether you are charged with transporting, distributing, or selling large amounts of drugs, our Florida Drug Crimes Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton are ready to fight for you.

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At least 13 people were arrested Friday by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office during a roundup of six men with outstanding warrants for sale of cocaine.

The warrants roundup, which focused on the Putnam Hall area in west Putnam County, led deputies allegedly to pills, drug paraphernalia and more cocaine, and resulted in charges for seven others in addition to the suspected drug dealers. Those seven were arrested for a variety of reasons, including possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of cocaine or prescription drugs, and an outstanding warrant from Clay County.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, these six had warrants for selling cocaine:

  • A 63-year-old man was charged with three counts of selling crack cocaine. He was arrested on a warrant and later released on a $10,000 bond.
  • A 57-year-old man was charged with two counts of selling cocaine, one count of cocaine possession with intent to sell and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
  • A 57-year-old man was arrested on a warrant for sale of cocaine. During a search of the man, deputies reported finding cocaine. He was charged additionally with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was arrested and held on $13,000 bond.
  • A 59-year-old man was arrested on a warrant for two counts of selling cocaine. He is being held on a $20,000 bond.
  • A 51-year-old man was arrested on a warrant for selling cocaine. He’s being held on a $10,000 bond.
  • A 41-year-old man was arrested on a warrant for two counts of selling cocaine. He is held on a $20,000 bond.

Selling cocaine is a second-degree felony in Florida, which could result in up to 15 years in prison. Selling cocaine can be escalated to a first-degree felony if sold within 1,000 feet of a church or school, and carries a mandatory minimum of 3 years in prison.

Many drug bust cases are based upon questionable evidence. Prosecutors often rely on evidence that was obtained as a result of an illegal search or seizure. Our Florida Drug Crimes Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton have successfully suppressed evidence in cases where it was obtained illegally. We provide aggressive legal representation to those accused of possessing or selling drugs.

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A 75-year-old Citrus County man has been arrested and charged with selling significant amounts of marijuana.

According to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, a search warrant served at a Floral City residence Tuesday morning resulted in this arrest.

During the execution of the search warrant, detectives allegedly located 464 grams of cannabis, 20-gauge shotgun ammunition, and over $25,500 in cash inside of the man’s bedroom. Detectives apparently searched a large wooden barn located on the property and discovered 711 grams of cannabis and various pieces of distribution equipment – to include a vacuum seal machine, a large digital scale, and various sized plastic baggies used to package drugs.

Detectives claim they learned that the cash located in the man’s room was obtained from the illicit sale of cannabis, so they seized the currency for forfeiture.

Due to the large sum of cash and various evidence collected, detectives estimated that the man was selling pounds of illegal marijuana on a daily basis.

He was arrested and charged with Possession of Cannabis with the Intent to Distribute, Possession of Ammunition by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of Paraphernalia.

The state of Florida has some of the toughest penalties on drug use and possession, including marijuana. Even though marijuana penalties are certainly less severe than many other types of drugs, you can still face hefty fines and serious jail time for the possession, use and sale of marijuana.

Possessing 20g to 25 lbs of marijuana carries a felony charge with penalties of a maximum fine of $5000 and 5 years in jail. Possessing between 25-2000 lbs is also a felony, with penalties of a maximum fine of $25,000 and 3-15 years in jail. If you are charged with selling and distributing marijuana, your penalty will also depend on the amounts being sold.

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Boynton Beach police went undercover Monday, hit a host of “hot spots” and jailed nearly a dozen in Operation Buy Bye.

Confidential informants apparently facilitated many of the hookups. The shopping lists included heroin, fentanyl, ecstasy and crack cocaine. The buys went down in parking lots at Walmart, Chevron and Shell stations and Betty Thomas Park, according to arrest reports.

Narcotics investigators arrested 11 suspects throughout the day Monday. More arrests are expected, according to the Boynton Beach Police Department.

In all, 10 men and one woman were arrested. The youngest was 19; the oldest 47. Sales were largely in small amounts, $20 and $40, reports show.

Being arrested by an undercover officer in a drug bust might make you think there is no way of beating the charges against you. However, all evidence police obtain in these undercover operations must be obtained legally. Many drug busts involve illegal tactics, and if evidence is obtained illegally, it can be deemed inadmissible at trial. Due to the complexities of undercover drug stings, it is best to consult with a South Florida Drug Crimes Defense Attorney at Whittel & Melton before making any statements to police.

The point of undercover drug operations is to make numerous arrests, even if that means violating suspects rights. We can make sure your rights weren’t violated during any stage of the investigation or arrest. If we find your rights were compromised in any way, we could get the charges against you dropped.

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Six people were arrested in a drug raid Tuesday after neighbors complained about needles in their yards and suspicious traffic in and out of a home on Tanager Road.
According to the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, a search warrant was executed at the home, and investigators found hypodermic needles, glass pipes and other drug paraphernalia, along with traces of methamphetamine and bottles filled with unprescribed Xanax pills.
Deputies claim that several of those arrested tried to hide pills, pipes and plastic baggies of meth during the raid.
Our Florida Drug Crimes Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton have handled dozens of cases involving drug crimes and as former prosecutors, we have the knowledge and experience necessary to defend your freedom. We have an impressive record of results and have defended individuals facing an array of serious drug crimes charges. We fight hard to protect your freedom.

We provide legal representation to those facing drug charges related to:

Florida has some of the strictest drug laws in the country and the police and prosecutors involved in your case will do everything they can to see that you are convicted. By contacting our Florida Drug Crimes Attorneys at Whittel & Melton, you taking the first step toward maximizing your potential for a positive outcome.

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An undercover drug sting that began in March led to the arrest of a St. Augustine man accused of running a drug house on Grove Avenue, according to reports.

The 29-year-old was arrested Tuesday on a warrant charging him with selling heroin from his home, which is within 1,000 feet from Ketterlinus Elementary School.

The man was booked late Tuesday morning into the St. Johns County jail on multiple drug charges. His bond was set at $300,000.

The case against the man began in March when detectives said they used an undercover informant to purchase heroin multiple times from the man.

Investigators claim they have audio recording of the alleged drug deals that took place inside his home, which they believe the man intentionally used and maintained to sell heroin.

The case remains under investigation, which means there could be more charges filed and possibly more arrests.

Heroin laws in Florida are extremely serious. Possession of any amount of heroin in Florida is classified as a felony, it does not matter how large or small the amount is. If you have been arrested for selling heroin, you need to call our Florida Drug Crimes Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton as we are familiar with federal and state drug laws. You will need a lawyer who can help you understand Florida’s heroin laws and represent your best interests in court.

Possessing 10 grams or less of heroin can land you in prison for up to five years. Possessing 10 grams or more can land you in prison for up to 30 years. Being accused of possessing or selling heroin near a school carries enhanced penalties. You do not want to mess around with these charges.

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Some changes are coming our way in Florida. More than 100 bills that Gov. Rick Scott signed into law from the 2018 legislative session will take kick in Sunday, including a new state budget that tops $88 billion.

Take a peek at the laws slated to take effect Sunday:

State budget

HB 5001: Lawmakers passed a $88.7 billion budget for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. The spending plan increases public-school funding by $101.50 per student, though Democrats and many education officials have argued that a far lower amount will be available for basic school expenses.

The budget will provide $100.8 million for the Florida Forever land preservation program and offer a $130 million increase in Medicaid funding for nursing homes. Lawmakers also included $3.3 billion in reserves and put money into such issues as Everglades restoration, beach restoration, “preeminent” universities and helping universities attract “world class” faculty.

Tax package

HB 7087: A roughly $170 million tax-cut package provides relief for farmers and property owners impacted by Hurricane Irma, provides a sales-tax “holiday” in August for back-to-school shoppers and retroactively covers a disaster-preparedness tax “holiday” in early June that coincided with the start of hurricane season. The package also includes reducing a commercial lease tax from 5.8 percent to 5.7 percent, though that cut will begin Jan. 1.

Education

HB 7055: The law expands the use of voucher-like scholarships to send more public-school students to private schools. One program in the bill will let students who face bullying or harassment in public schools transfer to private schools. The so-called “hope scholarships” will be funded by motorists who voluntarily agree to contribute sales taxes they would normally pay on vehicle transactions to fund the scholarships. Among other things, the bill also boosts the Gardiner scholarship program, which pays for services and private-school scholarships for students with disabilities.

Child marriage

SB 140: The bill will largely block minors from getting married in Florida. In the past, minors ages 16 and 17 have been able to get marriage licenses with parental consent, and judges have had discretion to issue licenses to younger minors if they have children or if pregnancies are involved.

Under the change, marriage will generally be barred for people under age 18, though an exception will be in place for 17-year-olds who have written consent from their parents or guardians. Also, the 17-year-olds will not be able to marry people who are more than two years older than them.

Opioids

HB 21: With Florida facing an opioid epidemic, the measure is aimed at preventing patients from getting addicted to prescription painkillers and then turning to street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl.

The bill, in part, will place limits on prescriptions that doctors can write for treatment of acute pain. Doctors in many cases would be limited to writing prescriptions for three-day supplies, though they could prescribe up to seven-day supplies of controlled substances if “medically necessary.” Cancer patients, people who are terminally ill, palliative care patients and those who suffer from major trauma would be exempt from the limits. The bill also requires physicians or their staff members to check with a statewide database before prescribing or dispensing controlled substances.

Bethune statue

SB 472: Lawmakers approved placing a statue of civil-rights leader and educator Mary McLeod Bethune, the founder of what became Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C.

The statue of Bethune will replace a likeness of Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, who has long been one of Florida’s two representatives in the hall at the U.S. Capitol. The state’s other representative is John Gorrie, widely considered the father of air conditioning.

Slavery memorial

HB 67: The measure will lead to building a memorial on the Capitol grounds to honor the untold number of slaves in Florida history. The bill requires the Department of Management Services to develop a plan and costs for the memorial, with the plan then submitted to the governor and legislative leaders.

Daylight-saving time

SB 1013: The measure seeks to place Florida on year-round daylight-saving time. The change, promoted as a way to help Florida tourism, still needs congressional approval.

Veterans

HB 29: Named the “Don Hahnfeldt Veteran and Military Family Opportunity Act” after a House Republican who died in December, the measure expands a 2014 law by further reducing professional licensing fees and requirements for certain military members, veterans and their spouses. This bill also designates March 25 each year as “Medal of Honor Day.”

Foreign affairs

HB 545 and HB 359: One measure (HB 545) will prohibit state agencies and local governments from contracting with companies that boycott Israel. The other (HB 359) bars state agencies from investing in companies doing business with the government of Venezuela, a step intended to put pressure on the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Our Florida Drug Crimes Defense Lawyers would like to address the opioid epidemic sweeping across Florida and rest of the nation. Almost 80 people die of an opioid-related overdose daily. More than 30,000 Americans died in 2015 due to an opioid overdose. Part of the reason we are suffering from this crisis is because pharmaceutical companies push these drugs on people and doctors over prescribe them. We hope that the new bill (HB21) will help curb some of the unnecessary overdoses plaguing the country.

Opioid-related deaths and crimes have gotten significantly worse in recent years due to fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is used for extreme pain – mostly in operating rooms and hospice care. It is up to 100 times stronger than morphine and up to 50 times stronger than heroin.

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A suspected drug dealer was arrested while allegedly carrying 70 baggies of possible heroin, four grams of marijuana, six grams of cocaine, $4,000 in cash — and had kids ages 1, 2 and 5 in his back seat, according to police.

The multi-agency bust happened Tuesday afternoon after investigators got a tip that a 23-year-old Delray Beach man would be at Jaycee Park with a large amount of drugs.

Officers watched as he pulled into the park, driving a 2012 Ford Edge with dark tinted windows.

When the man wouldn’t unlock the SUV, agents moved in and smashed the tinted window, according to a Boynton Beach police arrest report.

A woman and another man were also in the vehicle along with the children.

Inside the SUV, investigators found the drugs and money, according to the report.

Police claim the man was carrying more than $4,000 cash, according to the report.

The man faces multiple drug charges. He is also charged with child neglect. He is being held on bonds totaling $295,000.

Have you been accused of a heroin crime? In Florida, drug crimes are punished quite severely, especially those which involve a narcotic like heroin. Individuals who are convicted of offenses involving heroin can face very serious consequences, including heavy fines and years behind bars. Because of the serious nature of these charges, if you have been arrested for a heroin crime or are facing allegations, you need to seek legal help right away. Our South Florida Drug Crimes Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help you understand your rights and what to expect from your particular situation. We will do our best to help reduce the existing charges or get them dismissed.

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Three women were arrested Thursday night, two on drug charges and one on a prostitution charge, after an undercover operation at a well-known strip club on Jacksonville’s Southside.

A 22-year-old is facing a charge of soliciting for prostitution, and two other women are facing drug-related charges. One is charged with delivering or distributing cocaine and methamphetamine, and selling benzodiazepine. The other is charged with possession of synthetic drugs and drug paraphernalia.

According to arrest reports, one of the women allegedly sold drugs to undercover agents four times.

The two women arrested on drug charges are each being held on $25,000 bond.

Drug arrests are very serious. The type of penalties that you could be facing depend upon the circumstances involved in your case. While your case may seem similar to another person arrested for a drug crime, every case is unique and the courts determine punishment on a case by case basis. You could be looking at:

  • Probation
  • Drug counseling
  • Jail or prison time
  • Community Service
  • Fines
  • Forfeiture of assets

Our Florida Drug Crimes Defense Lawyers at Whittel & Melton provide representation to those who have had been charged with a drug related offense. We can help you understand what to do after you have been arrested and what needs to be done to develop a strong defense.

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