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19 charged with drug offenses at 4-day festival

On Behalf of | Aug 3, 2017 | Uncategorized

Nineteen people were taken into custody during a four-day New York music and art festival that took place between July 28 and July 31. During a conference held on Aug. 1, authorities said that they began putting an investigation into possible drug sales several weeks prior to the event taking place.

During the festival, a variety of different types of drugs were seized, including psychedelic mushrooms, MDMA, cocaine, ketamine and LSD in addition to marijuana and prescription pills. While there were no reports of overdoses, authorities said that it was concerning that some of the drugs were being sold in the form of lollipops and other treats that are generally popular with children.Those taken into custody had ages that ranged from 17 to 60. The majority of those facing charges came from Massachusetts, though some from as far away as California. Some of the charges ranged from misdemeanors while others were felony offenses.

Although music festivals and other large-scale events are popular places to sell drugs, authorities must still follow specific procedures when accusing someone of doing so. Even so, a person who is taken into custody for drug crimes could still be facing serious consequences, such as a prison sentence, probation and fines.

If a person is taken into custody after being illegally searched, a criminal law attorney could provide proof that the authorities did not follow proper procedures, meaning that any evidence that was found could be inadmissible in court. In some cases, this could result in the charges being dismissed. Otherwise, the attorney could negotiate reduced charges and a lesser penalty, such as probation instead of jail.

Source: The Record News, “19 arrested on drug charges at Stephentown festival“, Mark Wobarge, August 1, 2017