Traffic Stop in Florida Lands 2 People in Jail for Marijuana

A 19-year-old man and 18-year-old woman from out of state await their court appearances after police in Lynn Haven arrested them. An officer pulled over a sedan driven by the man for speeding. The officer said that the strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle justified a search. Police allegedly recovered 14 ounces of marijuana described as high quality and worth $6,000 along with a loaded 9 mm Glock handgun.

The presence of a digital scale and packaged marijuana led police to conclude that the people were engaged in drug dealing. When questioned by investigators, the woman reportedly admitted that the bulk of the marijuana, scales and gun belonged to her. As a result of her statement, she now faces felony charges related to distribution of marijuana and possessing a firearm.

The driver received charges based on the 5 grams of marijuana allegedly found on his person. This small amount of drugs produced a misdemeanor charge of marijuana possession. He was also cited for speeding.

After an arrest, a person will often face as many charges as the criminal justice system can justify based on the evidence. The representation of a criminal defense attorney might counter aggressive prosecution. An attorney may evaluate the evidence to see if it actually supports all of the drug charges according to the law. When evidence falls short, an attorney might request a reduction or dismissal of charges. This effort may be able to protect someone from a felony conviction and produce a lenient sentence.

Source: News Channel 9, “Hixson teens arrested with guns, drugs in Florida“, Joshua Lillard, April 6, 2018