A narcotics investigation lasting several months led to the arrests of a 38-year-old Salisbury man and his 23-year-old girlfriend, according to police and prosecutors in Maryland. The couple was taken into custody without incident during the early morning hours of Dec. 15 when two apartments the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office believed were being used to sell drugs were searched by deputies. Media reports suggest that the apartments had been under observation by members of the WCSO Criminal Investigation Division for some time.
The search warrants were executed at approximately 4:11 a.m. by WCSO deputies supported by officers from the Salisbury Police Department and Maryland State Police troopers assigned to the Gang Enforcement Unit. The search of the two Emory Court apartments allegedly yielded small quantities of powder cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana along with drug paraphernalia, including a set of digital scales and an unusually large number of plastic sandwich bags. Police say that they also recovered a loaded handgun and $1,099 in currency.
The couple taken into custody was transported to the Wicomico County Detention Center for processing. They are both being held without bond, according to reports. They face a raft of drug charges, including marijuana possession, cocaine possession and possession of narcotics with the intent to distribute.
Experienced criminal defense attorneys could seek to resolve narcotics cases at the negotiating table if law enforcement obtained search warrants and discovered compelling evidence. However, attorneys might choose to advocate on behalf of their clients in court when the items discovered could belong to somebody else or police may have exceeded the scope of a search warrant. Drug charges may also be dismissed if police prolonged traffic stops in order to call K9 units to the scene.