drug charges

Pill Mill Kingpin Ordered to Pay Victim's Family Millions

Andrew Stine — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:35:31 GMT

Jeff George, often discussed in previous posts as a kingpin of pill mills, has finally been ordered to pay financial restitution to the family of 24-year-old Joey Bartolucci who died from overdosing on narcotics in 2009, supplied by the pill mills operated by the George brothers. Pill mills are pain clinics that often prescribed powerful narcotics like Oxycodone without discretion. These operations are under extreme scrutiny and heavy investigation because of the rising number of Oxycodone related overdose deaths. It is simply just too easy for addicts and drug dealers to get their hands on powerful prescription drugs.

Jeff George Ordered to Pay Millions

According to an article in WPTV News, Jeff George of Wellington, Fla., admitted to killing Joey Bartolucci nine months ago, by giving him access to massive quantities of powerful narcotics. Now, he has been ordered to pay the Bartolucci family $5.3 million.

The jury verdict for Bartolucci's mother, Gina, and his sister, Jennifer Moyles, came after a one-sided trial that lasted less than a day. An attorney representing Bartolucci's family detailed for jurors how George's callous actions led to the aspiring paramedic's 2009 overdose death. George was not in the courtroom and did not hire a criminal defense lawyer to represent him.

Like nearly a half-dozen others who pleaded guilty in connection with one of the biggest pill mill operations in the country, George last week turned himself in to a federal prison. Last Friday, he began serving a 15 1/2-year sentence after pleading guilty in U.S. District Court to racketeering conspiracy for operating pill mills in Palm Beach County and Broward County.

Criminal Defense

If you have ever been charged with possession or trafficking a serious narcotic like Oxycodone, you are going to have a difficult time with the court process. Not only are you facing serious felony charges (depending on the amount in question), but there are always residual charges as well. A criminal defense lawyer can help you understand everything happening in court and will represent you professionally and knowledgeably.

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What is Happening with the Florida Drug Law?

Andrew Stine — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:30:57 GMT

Fighting a drug charge can be extremely complicated. Now with the new changes in the Florida Drug Law, things may be even more confusing. A criminal defense lawyer is the best person to speak with if you have questions about the drug crime allegations against you. Since Orange County Judge Mary Scriven found the Florida Drug Abuse Prevention and Control law unconstitutional, charging offenders with drug crimes involving intent is becoming a grey area.

Drug Law in Florida

Judge Scriven called the law “atavistic and repugnant to the common law,” after Mackle Vincent Shelton, was convicted on a cocaine offense and sentenced to 18 years in prison even though he was unaware that his friend hid cocaine in his backpack.

The idea behind the Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Law is the removal of the intent requirement. Basically, the offender can be convicted of a legitimate drug crime even if they were unaware that they were in possession of the substance.

The law is being aggressively protested and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the American Civil Liberties Union, have filed briefs against it. WPTV News reported that the case is on a fast track to the Florida Supreme Court. The Florida Supreme Court has set an oral argument for December 6.

According to WPTV News, a Miami appellate court recently upheld the drug law’s constitutionality.

Depending on the Florida Supreme Court’s ruling, the case can have a very significant impact on thousands of drug offenders. Being charged with a drug crime is already a messy process, now mixing in the change in legislature could drag the process on even longer.

Criminal Defense

If you have been charged with drug possession or drug trafficking, you need to contact a criminal defense lawyer immediately. These changes in legislation are going to significantly impact the possibility of a conviction. A criminal defense lawyer is knowledgeable about this situation and can help you devise a strategy for the best possibly outcome.

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How Drug Possession can Result in Child Neglect Charges

Andrew Stine — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 13:44:49 GMT

More often than not, when a person is accused of committing a crime, there is usually more than one crime in question. Many crimes do not have very significant sentences but what usually lands people in prison for long periods of time is being convicted of multiple crimes at once.

A Port St. Lucie woman learned that difficult lesson Sunday after being charged with both felony drug possession and felony child neglect. While unfortunate, it is common for drug use and child neglect go hand in hand. Many parents that are accused of child neglect or abuse often do so because of other extraneous issues such as drug or alcohol dependency.

Drug Possession and Child Neglect in South Florida

According to an article in the Palm Beach Post, a woman from Port St. Lucie ended up in jail Sunday after a sheriff’s deputies said she hid drugs and used syringes under her baby daughter’s dress to avoid being caught with drugs and drug equipment.

Deanna Marie Angelico, 31, was charged with not only felony child neglect but also with felony drug possession and misdemeanor possession of drug equipment. According to the article and the arrest report, deputies stopped a vehicle she and Michael G. Angelico, 23, were in after witnesses reported seeing two people in the vehicle shooting up drugs.

Angelico stuffed the drugs and used syringes up the baby’s dress to avoid being searched by a female Sheriff’s deputy.

Michael Angelico, of the 800 block of Southeast Starflower Lane, was charged with felony drug possession and misdemeanor possession of drug equipment. He was released Sunday on $5,500 bond; Deanna Angelico was held in lieu of $8,000 bond.

Neither person’s arrest report stated what type of drug was found or the amount. The type of drug usually determines the sentence in these situations.

Criminal Defense

If you have been charged with child neglect because of a substance abuse problem, you need someone to help you. The justice system does not have room for mercy for parents who choose drugs over taking care of their children. Only a criminal defense lawyer will be able to help you now. A criminal defense lawyer has a duty to represent those accused of crimes and also to make sure all relevant evidence is brought into the case.

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Can Oxycodone Busts Happen Outside of Pain Clinics?

Andrew Stine — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:27:24 GMT

South Florida is known as the pain pill capital of the United States. Prescription drug schemes can be found anywhere but the most common place for it is in pain clinics spearheaded by doctors trying to make an illegal profit. Recently, a prescription drug bust occurred at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Riviera Beach.

Usually, doctors in pain clinics try to make a quick profit by skimping on medical exams and providing prescription drugs like oxycodone to patients who don’t necessarily need it. Pain clinics are a huge problem in the effort against prescription drug trafficking and the law is cracking down.

Prescription Drug Trafficking in Riviera Beach

In Riviera Beach, a seven month undercover investigation has come to a close at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Riviera Beach. Over a dozen people have been arrested and accused of running a prescription drug operation out of the medical center.

According to WPTV News, part of the undercover operation led investigators to the home of Terri and Carlos Guerra. There they found a safe containing 5,000 oxycodone pills and more than $100,000 dollars in cash. Now both Terri and Carlos Guerra are facing charges of conspiracy to traffic oxycodone.

According to the affidavit, investigators started looking into the Terri and Carlos Guerra after Guerra's son, Larry Dorsey, was arrested by the DEA in Pittsburgh for trying to sell oxycodone. The affidavit says Dorsey told investigators where they could find more of the prescription medication and thousands of dollars.

According to WPTV News, the affidavit says Dorsey's mother, Terri Guerra, an employee of the VA, is responsible for the ordering and inventory of all controlled pharmaceuticals at the center. According to investigators, Guerra was placing orders for oxycodone at the same time her son was selling them.

After a search of two residents, investigators seized more than 6,000 oxycodone pills and almost $200,000 dollars in cash.

Investigators say the all the arrests that took place Thursday included veterans who were allegedly selling drugs to make money, nursing assistants, and pharmacy technicians. The State Attorney's Office says more arrests are likely. No doctors have been arrested, according to the article.

Oxycodone Trafficking Criminal Defense

Because of the huge problem of prescription drug trafficking in South Florida, law enforcement officers are expending huge amounts of their budget to crack down on pill mills and prescription drug runners everywhere. If you have been accused of trafficking prescription drugs, you are in for a long, difficult process with the law. A criminal defense lawyer can assist you through this process and answer questions you may have. Only a criminal defense lawyer can defend you in this situation and help you get the most reasonable sentence possible if you are convicted.

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How Serious is Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Andrew Stine — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:45:40 GMT

Possession of drug paraphernalia is a residual charge usually added on to a drug possession or drug trafficking charge. While possession of drug paraphernalia is a first-degree misdemeanor, it is punishable by up to a year in jail and expensive fines. Even if you walk away on probation for the misdemeanor offense, you most likely could end up with a permanent criminal record.

Drug Possession and Paraphernalia in Long Key

A Monroe County sheriff’s deputy saved the life of a Miami man hallucinating on mushrooms and apparently intent on drowning himself Saturday. Daniel Yepez, 21, began running when Deputy Nicholis Whiteman responded to a call. Yepez ran into the water saying he wanted to drown. Deputy Whiteman and Yepez’s friend Jason Mavila ran after him. The three struggled but Whiteman got Yepez into a bear hug and managed to drag him to shore.

Yepez was finally pulled from the water, handcuffed, and taken to Fisherman’s Hospital in Marathon for treatment. His friends told deputies that Yepez ate mushrooms and started to act strangely and talk about death. He was treated at the hospital then taken to jail. Yepez was charged with resisting arrest with violence, possessing marijuana, and possessing drug paraphernalia.

By then, Yepez had apparently come down from his suicidal high, according to the Palm Beach Post. After Whiteman gave Yepez his Miranda warning, he admitted to owning the "green leafy substance" and a pack of Zig Zag rolling papers found in a can.

Whiteman wrote, "Yepez thanked me for potentially saving his life.”

Drug Possession and Paraphernalia Criminal Defense

A criminal defense lawyer can help you defend yourself against a drug possession charge. Police need legal reasons to stop and search someone or their vehicle for drugs or paraphernalia, which falls under search and seizure laws.

Possession of drug paraphernalia is possession of anything that can be used to package, carry, or consume drugs such as a baggy, pipe, needle, or a bong. These items can be considered paraphernalia as long as there is drug residue left in them. A criminal defense lawyer can help you understand the process of what happens after you have been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Have you ever been charged with drug possession or possession of drug paraphernalia? Tell us your story.

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Florida Drug Statute Declared Unconstitutional - What This Could Mean for You

Andrew Stine — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:54:59 GMT

Florida’s passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act in 2002 that eliminated criminal intent as an element of the crime. Florida is the only state to eliminate criminal intent. A federal judge has now declared this drug statute as unconstitutional saying that criminal intent is not required to be proven by prosecutors.

Florida’s Drug Crimes

According to an article in the Palm Beach Post, U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven used the example of a student who hides his cocaine in a friend’s backpack without telling him. The friend has no idea it was there but is still guilty of possession due to the Florida statute, even if he had no intent to possess it or didn’t know it was there.

Judge Scriven stated that elimination of the intent element is “atavistic and repugnant to the common law.”

If this declaration of the act as unconstitutional is upheld on appeal, the decision could place hundreds or even thousands of drug convictions in jeopardy.

Comments from several prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers from around the country are praising the ruling. However, the impact of this new decision on past convictions will not be clear until the appeal is upheld. According to the Post, The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the American Civil Liberties Union and dozens of law professor filed briefs in the case. The ruling has created a major buzz among criminal defense lawyers across the state.

Nellie King, president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said:

"Judge Scriven's ruling simply renews the mandates inherent in the Constitution which our legislature opted to ignore."

The state is expected to appeal Scriven's ruling.

Criminal Defense

If you have been charged with drug possession, you need to contact a criminal defense lawyer immediately. These changes in legislation are going to significantly impact the possibility of a conviction. A criminal defense lawyer is knowledgeable about this situation and can help you devise a strategy for the best possibly outcome.

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How are Drug Traffickers Using the Internet and Getting Away with it?

Andrew Stine — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:53:00 GMT

Drug-related crime covers a significant percentage of all crime committed in South Florida. Many officials believe that the huge drug problem in our area is due to the close proximity to international ports. International ports make it much easier for drug traffickers to transport large amounts of drugs to South Florida for distribution elsewhere. However, criminals are becoming more creative with their distribution methods – including using the Internet.

Drug Distribution

According to an article in WPTV News, a new form of drug distribution is catching the attention of law enforcement. Two U.S. senators are asking federal authorities to crack down on a secretive narcotics market operated on the Internet with anonymous sales and untraceable currency.

Heroin, cocaine and methamphetamines are among the drugs being sold in the well-protected website apparently operating for just a few months.

Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Joe Manchin of West Virginia say they asked the Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Administration to shut down and investigate the website, often referred to as the Silk Road after an ancient Asian trade route.

A key to the illicit trade is use of a network by buyers and sellers that conceals their identity. Websites including Gawker have reported on the site, according to the article.

Drug Crimes in South Florida

Drug related crimes are such easy money that people who never expected to get involved with drugs end up selling them. South Florida recognizes the rising statistics with drug-related crimes that the area is becoming famous for its aggressive penalties. In fact, most prosecutors don’t stop with just drug related crimes; they continue on to prosecute residual crimes that are committed due to the use of or involvement with drugs.

Drug Crime Criminal Defense

If you have been accused of or charged with any drug crimes, contact a criminal defense lawyer. Only an experienced criminal defense lawyer from South Florida understands how difficult this process may be. Have a lawyer explain your options to you and help you build a strong strategy so you can have a second chance at life.

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How Marijuana Dealers are Getting More Creative When Selling

Andrew Stine — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 11:49:26 GMT

Marijuana dealers are getting more and more creative with their methods of distribution. As the local government invests more money, time, and officers in an attempt to squash the marijuana craze in Palm Beach County, dealers are stuffing their pot into anything from cupcakes to Subway sandwich bags.

Marijuana Methods of Distribution

According to an article in WPTV News, a Fort Pierce Subway employee was arrested on Thursday morning by St. Lucie County Sheriff's investigators who said she was selling marijuana to patrons who asked for 'extra meat' on their sandwiches.

Elizabeth Hunter, 47 known as "Liz" was allegedly selling marijuana from inside a Hess gas station/Subway Fort Pierce. According to St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office on May 10th and May 26th, undercover deputies used the code words 'extra meat' when they ordered sandwiches from Hunt.

"The 'extra meat' was a baggie of marijuana that Hunt slipped into the sandwich bag," Sheriff Ken Mascara said in a written release. The arrest affidavit also states that Hunt asked the undercover deputies to, "put the $10 in the tip jar."

Hunt then placed the marijuana inside the subway sandwich bag, and is now being held in the St Lucie county jail on a $55,000 bond on two counts of sale and delivery of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a convenience store, one count of possession of marijuana with intent to sell within 1,000 feet of a convenience store and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Only recently, a drug dealer was caught using a very creative method of distribution. He was arrested selling pot cupcakes to South Miami High School students at $10 a piece.

Criminal Defense

If you are caught in possession of or trafficking marijuana, you’re in a for a long haul. Because the government is investing to much time and energy in cracking down on marijuana and drug dealers, you will undoubtedly be facing a tough trial. The only person who can help you in this situation is a criminal defense lawyer. Have a criminal defense lawyer answer any questions you may have about your situation and he or she can also help you build a strong defense strategy.

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