Archive for February, 2010
Lawrence Man Faces 10 Years Prison Sentence for Drug Offence
Last Updated on Monday, 1 February 2010 11:33 Written by Nic Monday, 1 February 2010 11:33
In Massachusetts, a man from Lawrence could be faced with a minimum 10 years mandatory sentence in prison if his wrong doings are proved and he is convicted of being involved in a drug bust. This person by the name of Marcelo Perez, 48, living in 210 Lawrence St. was charged with drug offences. He had been found to be involved in at least two cases of trafficking cocaine. Furthermore, the individual was also charged with two cases of illegal possession of handgun. Besides all these, the person has also been charged with two counts of illegal possession of dangerous weapons and ammunition. Three local authorities were employed to find out about the suspected drug activities that were happening undercover in the parking lot of Dunkin’ Donuts, which is located on the Main Street in Haverhill, Massachusetts.
According to the reports, when Marcelo Perez was arrested he was carrying with him a .38 caliber pistol which was loaded. Besides, he was also caught in possession with 305 grams of the illicit drug cocaine which he hid in his jacket. With the assistance of the K9 unit of Tewksbury, the police had also discovered a concealed compartment in Perez’s jeep. The authorities had reported that this hidden compartment discovered in the back of his jeep was filled with an additional quantity of cocaine. The additional cocaine weighed 30.7 grams. The compartment also contained a loaded handgun, a digital scale and a box full of ammunition. According to the police estimates the street value of cocaine in Massachusetts is $6,500.
If you are charged with any drug offences in the state, you should get in touch with an experienced criminal defense lawyer immediately without wasting much time. Most of the times, the drug arrest are the result of raids conducted by the official authorities of Massachusetts. Often, the first step for a successful litigation of a drug crime case is to attack the legality of the search. Depending on the case and the circumstances, this step can be taken to file a motion for suppressing the evidence which is seized from the defendant, his home or apartment, or car. Once the evidence can be successfully suppressed, the government cannot proceed with the case anymore. Besides, now according to the Supreme Court’s order the Commonwealth cannot simply produce a drug certificate for proving the retrieved product as contraband. So, according to this new law, the Commonwealth has to get the item examined by a chemist that it is an illegal drug or not.
Tags: cocaine, drug offences, drugs | Posted under Massachusetts Rehab Centers | No Comments
The New Marijuana Law Comes With a Set of Pitfalls
Last Updated on Monday, 1 February 2010 11:27 Written by Nic Monday, 1 February 2010 11:27
In Massachusetts, when the possession of one ounce or lesser amount of the drug marijuana was legalized, there were many people who applauded this legislature. However, some newer changes have been introduced in this decriminalization law. In the new section of this marijuana law of Massachusetts, it has been stated that the possession of an ounce or lesser of this drug will be seen as a civil infraction even if not a criminal offence. Moreover, the offender will also be given a civil citation. Now, for the adult offenders of Massachusetts, a fine of $100 will be slapped besides forfeiture of the drug. Also, if an individual is under the age of eighteen, he or she will have to enroll into a drug awareness program and complete it. This program will require the accused to attend a minimum four hours classroom or a group discussion. Then it would be followed by ten hours of service to the community.
Within one year of the completion of this program, the individual must file for a certificate with the local district court’s clerk. If that is not done, then the offender will be punished with higher fines and in some cases a criminal charge can also be slapped on to the individual. Moreover, in Massachusetts, when a person is charged with illegal possession of marijuana, the consequences can become very problematic and drag him or her to the legal doors. That only means that teenagers living in Massachusetts cannot look at the offense casually as a ‘free pass’ to smoke the drug and drive. This is because, according to the state laws even when a person is on a ‘high’ and is driving, he or she can be slapped with charges of being under the influence of the drug and driving.
Furthermore, if an individual claims that the marijuana he or she possesses weighs an ounce or lesser and had shared jointly with a friend or gave it some of the substance to someone else, then this person can be charged with the illegal distribution of marijuana. If the police are informed about that person’s intentions of sharing the drug, then he or she can be slapped with serious charges of ‘marijuana possession with intent to distribute’. Also, if in that event a search reveals baggies, scales, huge amount of money, razor blades and other such items usually used for marijuana distribution, then the person will have a tough time with the Massachusetts drug law enforcement officials.
Tags: drugs, marijuana | Posted under Massachusetts Rehab Centers | No Comments
Officer in Massachusetts Slapped With Drug Trafficking Charges
Last Updated on Monday, 1 February 2010 11:58 Written by Nic Monday, 1 February 2010 11:57
In the state of Massachusetts, drug offenses are taken very seriously by the prosecutors. The district attorney offices of the state maintain a zero tolerance policy where drug law violation is concerned. If anyone in the state is suspected of being involved in any kind of illegal drug activities, then that person is very likely to be prosecuted. For such suspect victims, there are plenty of experienced drug crime attorneys in the state to fight their case by protecting their rights. Experienced attorneys are always in a better position to determine which cases are likely to be resolved, which should be tried in the court and which are the ones that could be disposed- off without any need for trial. But resolving such drug related cases or dismissing them becomes easier when the accused does not hold a prior criminal record.
In the past few years, a several number of drug crimes have been recorded in the state of Massachusetts. These crimes included possession of illicit drugs, trafficking and distribution, drug selling and buying, conspiracy, inducing minors, and school zone violations. If you too are a victim of drug crime suspect, then get in touch with a well respected drug defense attorney in Massachusetts so that you can get the best possible defense for yourself. Few years back, in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology a campus police officer was arrested on the grounds of acquiring hundreds of prescription painkiller drugs illegally. The matter was taken up by the Suffolk County district judiciary. According to the prosecutors this person called Joseph D’Amelio, 39 and belonging to East Boston was suspected of getting a package which contained 340 OxyContin pills. He was said to have received the package at a parking garage in East Boston.
According to the police reports D’Amelio was in his usual uniform while he was driving his way to the official MIT campus garage in a police cruiser for receiving the shipment. Another person called Anthony Christallo, 39, belonging to Derry, N.H. was also handcuffed by the police. He was arrested outside the garage. The local FedEx staff had actually gotten suspicious on seeing such a package arriving at their facility. They had then discovered huge quantity of these controlled drugs and immediately informed the police. The detectives then sent the package to the Advanced Automotive located on London Street, from where D’Amelio was said to have retrieved it. Both the victims were slapped with charges of trafficking over 100 gm of OxyContin.
Tags: drug crimes, drug offense, drugs, illicit drugs | Posted under Massachusetts Rehab Centers | No Comments
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