Florida Criminal Attorney Blog
Jerod Sechrist, who previously appeared on Deadliest Catch as a deckhand, was arrested earlier this month on drug charges in Tampa, according to reports.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office inmate database, Sechrist, 33, was arrested on Oct. 5 by the Tampa Police Department in Tampa, Florida.
He was charged with one felony count of possession of heroin and one misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to a criminal report affidavit, Sechrist was taken into custody on an open warrant for a previous reckless driving case. When he was searched, officers found a small clear bag in his pocket with a white powder substance inside, which tested positive for heroin, the affidavit states.
Sechrist appeared in three episodes of the Discovery Channel series in 2016, according to IMDB.
If you or a loved one is charged with drug possession anywhere in the state of Florida, there are likely numerous questions running through your brain. What will happen to me next? What if the drugs weren’t actually mine? Does it make a difference that it was just a small amount? Am I going to spend time in jail? Do I need to hire a drug possession lawyer?
Ultimately, when you or someone you love is facing accusations of felony drug possession, you need to be informed and ready to handle the charges right away. You must have a seasoned drug crime lawyer fighting in your corner – that is an absolute must. From there, you can learn more about establishing a defense to the charges against you and what you can expect from the entire criminal process.
Heroin is considered a Schedule I drug, having both a high potential for abuse, and no accepted medical use. Heroin can have terrible consequences for the user, both from a legal standpoint as well as a health standpoint, which is why Florida has a very low tolerance for these charges. Simple possession of less than 4 grams of heroin is considered a third-degree felony. Possession of 4 grams or more is considered drug trafficking, and is a first-degree felony. Selling more than 10 grams of heroin is a second-degree felony, unless the heroin is sold near a school, then the penalties are enhanced.
If you are convicted of possession of heroin less than ten grams, you could be sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison, a maximum of five years of supervised probation, a driver’s license suspension of two years, a maximum fine of $5,000, a substance abuse evaluation/screening/treatment, and you could even lose your vehicle and/or any property used during the commission of this felony. If you are convicted of possession of heroin more than ten grams, you could be facing up to 30 years behind bars. Possession of drug paraphernalia is a misdemeanor criminal offense, punishable by one year of incarceration and up to $1,000 in fines.
Our Florida Drug Crimes Defense Attorneys at Whittel & Melton have the experience needed to know that each drug case presents its own challenges, but we have a solid groundwork for handling cases just like yours. We can conduct a thorough investigation into your charges and answer the following questions:
Did law enforcement violate your constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures?
- Did law enforcement or the prosecution violate your constitutional right to the assistance of an attorney?
- Did the police ignore or destroy exculpatory evidence?
- Did police mishandle evidence or make any other common mistakes during their investigation?
- Were the drugs in question actually found in your “possession”?
Our Tampa Bay Drug Possession Attorneys have the necessary experience to work through these questions. The answers we find can ultimately be the difference between a guilty verdict with a lengthy prison sentence and the charges being dismissed so that you have the opportunity to get the rehabilitation help you need.
If you or someone you care about has been charged with drug possession, the time to act is now. We strongly encourage you to handle these charges as soon as possible and not delay. We can launch an immediate investigation into what led to the charges, and make sure you fully understand what these charges mean and what the consequences could be. We will work with you and pursue the best possible resolution to the charges against you. Felony drug possession charges are serious, but we can help you no matter what the details of your charges.