Orlando Drug Charges Lawyers
Serving Clients in Orlando, Pinellas Park and Central Florida
Being arrested on a drug charge can be not only stressful, but also devastating to both your personal life and career. It’s unfortunate that many people make mistakes upon their arrest that make the situation much worse.
If you are reading this, you may have been arrested on a drug charge. You are most likely scared. You’ve probably missed work and are worried about your job or career. You are most likely stressed, wondering if there’s anyone who can help you through this and minimize the damage.
We are here to help. We offer free legal advice. Call our Orlando drug charges lawyers today.
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This page will teach you the basics about your drug charges. First, we’ll show you the common mistakes people make when facing drug charges in Orlando. Next, we’ll use a story to help illustrate additional aspects of these cases you need to know. Be sure to read this to the end to get the most information about your case.
Common Drug Charges Mistakes
Unfortunately, there are several things you can do wrong when facing drug charges that can make matters worse. Please read each of the mistakes listed below to help prevent you from making the same missteps.
Talking Too Much When You’re Arrested
When you are arrested, the arresting officers are required to read you your Miranda rights. Most of us have heard these at one time or another on crime shows on television. They begin with, “You have the right to remain silent.”
Even when you’re overcome with anxiety about what’s going to happen, it’s important to exercise this right and remain silent. If you don’t, anything you say is going to be used against you, making your situation worse.
Not Realizing You Are Probably Being Recorded
When you are arrested, don’t forget that the arresting officers are most likely wearing a body cam, recording both sound and video. Anything you say or do during the arrest can be used against you in court.
After your arrest, it’s not uncommon to be left alone in an interview room for a while. Be careful not to vent nervous energy talking to yourself aloud.
Even if this sounds like silly behavior to you, people under stress sometimes do this. Remember, anything you say can be recorded and interpreted as an admission of guilt and used against you.
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Resisting Arrest
Being arrested is a frightening experience. Under such stress, your body floods with adrenaline and cortisol, heightening the urge to flee. It’s critical to remember that resisting arrest, including fleeing, is both dangerous and damaging to your case.
In addition to the possibility that your arrest may be on camera, your arresting officer will be submitting a report detailing the event. If you resist or fight back, and whether or not the police use force to subdue you, your actions are almost certain to damage your case.
Your best course of action is to follow instructions, remain silent, and contact a lawyer for support and guidance.
Skipping Court Appearances
When you’ve got a court date, you need to show up, including arriving on time. Don’t try the patience of court officers and your attorney by disrespecting their time. Impressions are very important here.
If you have more than one place you record appointments, make sure court dates and times are listed on all of them. Put it in your phone and on the paper calendar. It’s not a bad idea to add some sticky notes around the house, too.
Respecting the court won’t do any damage to your case, and it just might add to your credibility. Pay attention to every opportunity you have to improve your situation.
Getting Advice From Friends
In a scary situation like this, it’s understandable to want to turn to friends for comfort. And that’s okay. But be careful not to look to them for advice.
Even if your friends have had similar experiences, they are not the best people to ask about what you should do. Every criminal case is unique, and this is too important to risk turning in the wrong direction. Stick to your Orlando drug charges lawyers for advice. True friends will want the best for you and should understand that you need to come to us, when it comes to legal advice.
Venting on Social Media
Wanting to proclaim your innocence or explain what really happened regarding your charges is understandable. Social media can be a tempting venue to vent in an effort to release some of your pent-up stress hormones. Don’t go there.
Consider that making such a public outpouring can backfire. The opposing counsel will have equal access to anything you post and will be looking for anything they can interpret as incriminating. Save your communications for your attorney.
Not Hiring a Lawyer
Too many people who are arrested give up and submit to the system, not realizing how much a lawyer can help their case. Your best chance of getting your charges reduced or possibly even dismissed is through a lawyer. Contact your Orlando drug charges lawyers to find out more about your case.
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Orlando Drug Charges Client Story
The story that follows is intended to give you a better feel for a drug charges case. Names and details have been edited to protect the privacy of our client, but the information’s helpfulness remains. Make sure you read to the end to get the most benefit. When you’re finished, please take us up on our offer of free legal advice and schedule a consultation to talk about your case.
On a rainy day in June not too long ago, twenty-year-old Marcus Moore found himself in an interrogation room in county jail.
It all started when he was pulled over for rolling a stop sign in the rain. He and his friend Duane were trying to get back on the expressway after taking the wrong exit. Marcus was going to be late picking his niece up from school. He was worried the nine-year-old would start to walk home alone. She was supposed to wait for him.
Marcus was doing the speed limit as he wound through side streets making his way back to the onramp, but when the stop sign came up unexpectedly, the speed limit turned out to be too fast for stopping on wet pavement. He decided that tapping the brakes and rolling through would actually be safer, given his choices.
The cop car was right there at the cross street, waiting.
As Marcus pulled to the curb, the car pulled up behind them and two officers got out. As they approached the compact, Duane bolted from the car, tearing across a lawn, heading for a fence that backed up to an alley. One of the officers took off down the alley to intercept him, knocking Duane to the ground with a flying tackle when he jumped down from the fence.
Startled, Marcus’s eyes frantically scanned the console and the floor of the car, searching for the reason his friend would flee. “Please, please, no,” Marcus whispered as he searched. And there it was— a small baggie with some kind of powder peeking out from between the passenger door and the seat. He couldn’t tell how big it was, but he knew things had just become a whole lot worse.
Marcus squeezed his eyes shut and fought off panic. That wasn’t his. But what could he do? He instinctively stretched a hand toward it, then stopped. What could he do that wouldn’t make him look guilty?
“FREEZE!” Boomed a voice from the driver’s side of the car. “Put your hands where I can see them.”
After Duane’s attempt to run, the officers weren’t taking any chances with Marcus. He was handcuffed and sat on the curb as they searched the vehicle. Marcus knew better than to follow Duane’s example, but it took all his will to keep from running himself. To describe what he was feeling as panic is an understatement.
The drugs were found, and both young men were arrested and taken to county jail. Once there, Marcus was left alone in an interrogation room for what felt like three hours but was more like 30 minutes. As he sat there, he focused on his breathing and tried to collect his thoughts.
He was seated at a small table, so close to the wall behind him he barely had room to push his chair back to sit down. He fought off a moment of claustrophobia and continued to focus on his breathing.
The room didn’t have that two-way mirror you always see on television crime shows, but he could see cameras up high on the walls. If they were recording video, he had to assume they were recording sound, too.
A man finally came into the room and leaned against the door jamb. “You know, Marcus, it doesn’t look good for you. Evading arrest, drugs in the car. Best thing you can do is come clean now.”
The investigator could see the fear in Marcus’s eyes. He’d gotten to him. He waited.
They stared at one another. A minute passed, then Marcus finally opened his mouth and said, “I have the right to an attorney; I want my phone call.”
Marcus called his grandmother. She told him she’d call a lawyer and that he’d done well to remain silent.
We met Marcus that day and helped him separate facts from fears. He had no record, which worked in his favor. He’d had no knowledge of the drugs, and the fact that he’d complied with the officers’ instructions was helpful. Resisting arrest by fighting or running would only have put him in a dangerous situation and made him look more guilty.
“I had no idea Duane had those drugs. I swear to you, they aren’t mine,” Marcus insisted.
“I understand, Marcus, but in Florida, there are two ways you can be charged with drug possession. Actual possession of drugs — meaning they are in your pocket or bag, for example, or ‘constructive’ possession. Constructive possession means that you both knew the drugs were there, and they were in a location you had control over. In this case, that would be your car.”
Marcus’s eyes grew even wider, he opened his mouth to protest, but our lawyer held up a hand to stop him.
“You didn’t know about the drugs, but they were in your car. You weren’t the one who ran, and you have a clean record. It’s a mixed bag, but we are going to work to get your charges dismissed. I can’t promise you they’ll be dropped, but at the very least, we should be able to get them reduced. Right now, there are too many unknowns to make predictions.
“Two of the factors your charges will depend on are exactly what drug was in the car and how much of it was present. There are different levels, or schedules for different drugs, meaning certain drugs carry a heavier penalty than others.
“There’s also the issue of whether there was enough present to suggest it was intended for distribution, and whether any drug paraphernalia was also found I the vehicle.
“It’s too soon to know exactly what’s possible, but your grandmother was right to call us. We’ll do as much as we can to help you through this. “If we can’t get the charges dropped, you may be eligible to participate in Florida’s drug court program to avoid serious penalties, jail time, or large fines.
“The first step is to get you arraigned and home until your case is tried. When you get out of here, it’s critical that you keep away from any witnesses or defendants in the case, including Duane, should you run into him.
“Don’t use alcohol or drugs and stay away from any known criminals. You’ll need to make sure you aren’t at risk of any new arrests. Stay away from weapons of any kind to avoid a weapons possession getting tacked on to your troubles.
“Be diligent about making every court appearance and be on time. If you waste the court’s time, there’s not going to be a lot we can do to hold up your reputation as a model citizen.
“As they say on tv, don’t leave the area. No travel outside of the county or state. And though I hope I don’t have to say it, don’t even think about skipping town. Trying to run from your charges will only add to them and make you look guilty.”
“Don’t worry, I’m going straight home,” promised Marcus. “Any friends I see will be strictly online.”
“Okay, let’s talk about that for a minute,” said our lawyer. “It’s natural for you to want to talk to your friends at a time like this. But we need to set some important guidelines.
“First, no asking your friends for legal advice. I’m sure they mean well, but as you know, they probably aren’t lawyers. Even if they are, every case is different, and they don’t have all the facts in yours.
“In general Marcus, the less people you confide in, the better. This means stay away from social media entirely. Given your circumstances, it’s understandable you may feel like venting, but going on social media right now will bring you nothing but trouble. Best to stay away until your case is over.
“We’re here to help you through this. Following these guidelines is the best way to help us get you the most favorable outcome for your case.”
Call Our Orlando Drug Charges Lawyers Today
We hope this story has helped you get a clearer picture of what to expect in a drug charges case. That said, every case involves different circumstances and factors. Be sure to call our Orlando drug charges lawyers today to get your specific case questions answered in a free consultation. Don’t go through this alone. Call today for free advice.
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