On March 7 around 2:15 a.m., troopers in LaGrange made a traffic stop of two men, ages 28 and 32, driving a 2006 Nissan. Law enforcement reported that they smelled marijuana when talking to the driver.
On a more thorough inspection, troopers claim to have found $1,800 in currency, around 3 grams of marijuana, more than 200 grams of heroin and about 17 grams of crack cocaine. The men were taken into custody.
Both men were charged with two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 3rd degree with the intent to sell. This is a class B felony. The 32-year-old man was also charged with a class D felony, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the 5th degree and unlawful possession of marijuana. They were arraigned and taken to jail where they were held without bail.
A person who is charged with drug crimes may be facing severe penalties including jail time. There could be serious consequences even if the charges are only for possession. However, there might be several avenues of defense available depending on the specific circumstances of the case. While in some cases a person might want to sign a plea bargain, which involves pleading guilty and usually receiving a lighter sentence, there may be other situations in which pleading not guilty and going to trial might be the better option. A person may want to discuss the case and strategies for defense with an attorney. The attorney might also look at whether any of the evidence was obtained illegally or if the person’s rights were violated during the investigation. This may lead to the dismissal of evidence or of the case.
Source: Hudson Valley News Network, “Two NYC Men Arrested for Drug Possession in LaGrange,” Kathy Welsh, 3/7/2018
