Two men were taken into custody by authorities after a traffic stop that took place in Salisbury, Maryland. A vehicle driven by a 34-year-old was stopped at about 11:20 on July 4 on the 1100 block of S. Division Street. The vehicle was stopped because it had an expired registration, and officers observed signs of illegal substances in the car.
This lead to a K-9 unit being sent to the scene to search for controlled substances. A police dog eventually found an odor of drugs that were determined to be crack cocaine and heroin. The search also turned up a syringe and another object used to smoke the substances found. Although both men claimed that the items weren’t theirs, they were both charged with possession of heroin, cocaine and drug paraphernalia.
Those who are charged with drug crimes may be sentenced to a lengthy period of time in jail or prison. They may also be sentenced to probation, community service or a fine in addition to that jail or prison time. If a defendant has been convicted of drug crimes in the past, he or she may face enhanced penalties. People who are charged with a crime may have an attorney defend their rights throughout the legal process.
An attorney may work to suppress evidence or to cast doubt on evidence that is allowed to be presented in court. In some cases, this may be enough to have a case thrown out or to obtain an acquittal from a jury. It may also be enough to help a defendant obtain a plea bargain in his or her case that may eliminate some or all penalties.