Two men were stopped by authorities on Interstate 84 in New York state at about 11 p.m on April 8. Upon making contact with the driver of the Ford Fusion, officers smelled an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. This resulted in a search of the Fusion, which turned up marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy in the possession of the passenger. The passenger was also found to be in possession of syringes and cannabis oil.
The driver was found to be in possession of marijuana, Xanax and Alprazolam. He was also found to be in possession of chocolate made with cannabis oil. He was charged with multiple counts of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana. The passenger was charged with two felony and two other counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. The driver was released on his own recognizance while the passenger was sent to Putnam County Jail.
Both misdemeanor and felony drug offenses may carry penalties that could significantly interrupt a person’s life. These penalties may include jail or prison time, a fine or probation. Individuals who are charged with drug possession or related crimes may wish to hire an attorney to help create a defense. One possible way to obtain a favorable outcome in this type of case is to ask for evidence to be suppressed.
This could be done by arguing that there was no cause for a traffic stop that led to the charges to have taken place. It could also be possible to contend that all of the controlled substances in a vehicle belonged to another person inside of it at the time of a traffic stop.
