Sarasota Drug Violations Attorney Blog | Florida Drug Possession Lawyer

Man found unconscious arrested for drug trafficking

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Drug Trafficking on Monday, May 20, 2013.

Boynton Beach Police and Fire Department found an unconscious man, foaming at the mouth, when responding to an emergency house call on the afternoon of May 13th on the 1200 block of N.W. 7th street.

Unfortunately for him, his condition was not the only thing they found. Upon their arrival, cops discovered the drug 'Molly" in four sandwich bags and in another six clear bags. The man was rushed to Bethesda Memorial Hospital. After his treatment, he was taken to the Palm Beach County jail and booked for drug possession and drug trafficking charges. The street term 'Molly" is short for molecule and is regarded as the purest form of MDMA, which is the main chemical used in Ecstasy. According to the arrest report, the substance in the bag also contained cocaine.

Officials say drug dealer trafficked $1 million yearly

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Drug Sales & Distribution on Friday, May 10, 2013.

On May 6, after a six-month investigation, two Florida men, 66 and 38, faced charges of possession of marijuana for sale. Police took the men into custody on the drug charges after an anonymous tip, a wiretap and long-term surveillance efforts. Both men have criminal records that involve previous drug arrests, which could enhance possible penalties they face if convicted. The investigation is still ongoing, and police could arrest more people.

Law enforcement began to look into the matter after an anonymous tip that the elder of the two was dealing drugs at nightclubs in September. They began observing the man to determine his involvement and discovered that he was conducting large-scale marijuana sales out of a rental home. After the authorities gathered enough information, they requested a wiretap of his phone and saw a pattern of delivery of drugs to his residence.

Mexican woman pleads guilty in drug charges

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Drug Trafficking on Friday, May 3, 2013.

A woman rumored to be high in the Mexican drug trade pleaded guilty to drug charges in Florida. The 52-year-old "Queen of the Pacific" pleaded guilty to a charge of accessory after the fact in drug trafficking after she was extradited from Mexico to the United States to face conspiracy charges.

The woman was originally charged with several drug-related crimes in Mexico, but an American judge ruled that there was not enough evidence to convict her of conspiracy or drug trafficking. Prosecutors believed that she was a key player in a drug trafficking ring between Colombia and Mexico. They also linked her to the Sinaloa cartel, a Mexican group with strong ties to Colombian drug traffickers.

2 stings over 5 weeks yield 214 arrests

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Drug Trafficking on Friday, April 26, 2013.

After a five-week Florida drug sting, Operation Dry Spring wrapped up their oversight of area young people who might take the opportunity to try drugs or alcohol during spring break. The statewide initiative focused on keeping minors away from cigarettes, booze and drugs and protecting them from these dangerous substances. No drug trafficking arrests were noted.

The initiative lead to 141 arrests for the possession of alcohol by minors. In addition, 11 businesses were cited for selling booze to underage buyers. An adult was taken into custody for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and deputies also confiscated marijuana in three cases. The sheriff expressed his concern over the age of some of those arrested, including a teen of 14. He added that parents and those who are involved with young people need to understand the seriousness of their actions, including possible health and legal consequences.

Nation's public health leaders meet for summit on Rx drug abuse

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Prescription Drug Violations on Friday, April 19, 2013.

The nation's foremost leaders in public health and prescription drug abuse met in Central Florida on April 2 for the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit. Speakers at the summit went over everything from prescription drug fraud to the continuing challenges that the nation faces on the prescription drug abuse front.

Statistically speaking, prescription drug abuse is actually on the decline, but at the conference, the White House drug czar still pointed out that, in 2010, 7 million people had abused some form of prescription medication. Luckily, that number dropped all the way down to 6.1 million in 2011. This promising statistic, however, doesn't really quell the disheartening figure of the 125,000 American citizens who, over the past decade, have suffered fatal overdoses from opioid drugs.

Police need warrant to bring dog onto private property

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Search & Seizure on Thursday, April 11, 2013.

A Florida case that began in 2006 influenced the Supreme Court of the United States' March 26 ruling that bringing a police dog onto a person's property to sniff for drugs, explosives or other items without a warrant is a violation of the Fourth Amendment. Police officers must obtain a warrant prior to entering an area that is not public property, or the intrusion is an unlawful search and seizure.

The Florida case began in December 2006, where a dog was brought up to a closed front door on a property south of Miami following an anonymous tip that the property was being used to grow marijuana. The dog indicated that it smelled drugs, and police used that information to obtain a search warrant. The search revealed marijuana with an alleged street value exceeding $700,000, and a man was arrested on drug charges.

Lakeland surgeon arrested for drug trafficking

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Drug Trafficking on Friday, April 5, 2013.

A 44-year-old Lakeland surgeon was taken into custody and his clinic shut down after he was accused of writing unnecessary prescriptions. Polk County authorities locked the doors to his business on March 21 and arrested the doctor on 10 criminal counts in addition to drug trafficking charges of prescription medications when they alleged he did not even attempt to help clients.

Authorities received information from undercover agents that lead to his arrest. They also accused him of attempting to solicit women to join him for parties. In one case, he allegedly asked an undercover officer to submit to an exam for an illness she didn't have. When she returned later for an appointment to review her MRI, the doctor supposedly asked her to sit on his lap while they went over the material.

5 face drug charges after 2 traffic stops on FL Interstate

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Drug Possession on Friday, March 29, 2013.

Two traffic stops one day apart on Interstate 95 in Florida resulted in five arrests. On March 7, a 23-year-old man and two 24-year-old men were taken into custody for charges of drug sales, weapons crimes and marijuana possession.

The arrest came during a routine traffic stop, when a law enforcement officer smelled the odor of marijuana wafting from the car. He spoke with each man individually, and they gave conflicting stories regarding the smell of drugs and their travel plans. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, law enforcement personnel discovered 51 grams of cocaine in the glove box along with 2 grams of marijuana in the back seat. They also found six firearms, including automatic guns and rifles, one of which was reported stolen. The men were all taken into custody.

Controversy over Florida bill to sentence prescription drug crime

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Prescription Drug Violations on Saturday, March 23, 2013.

A Florida Senate committee recently passed SB 420 by a margin of 6-1. The law affords courts more leeway when sentencing offenders for some drug crimes. The bill specifically focuses on prescription drug possession for first-time offenders and mandatory minimum sentences. The purpose of the measure is to differentiate between those who traffic or sell drugs and those who misuse prescription drugs.

Groups that support the law believe that offenders in need of substance abuse counseling should not be placed in custody without good reason. One lawyer cited cases where clients received prison terms for possessing as few as 15 pills, which some addicts could take within 24 hours. He added that current laws can mean that people who are not drug dealers would be imprisoned and that the law did not intend to target them. However, opponents of the law believe that reduced sentences will send the wrong message to those who are involved with prescription drugs. They also argue that prosecutors can use discretion when they file criminal charges against offenders for the possession of painkiller medications.

Sentencing disparity for prescription drug charges in Florida

On behalf of Law Offices of Anthony G. Ryan, P.A. posted in Prescription Drug Violations on Friday, March 15, 2013.

One of the tenants of the American criminal justice system is that we are all treated equally before the law. Just because someone has more money or a more prestigious job does not mean that he or she should be able to escape punishment. At the same time, members of the lower-income groups should not be disadvantaged and given unduly harsh sentences because of their socioeconomic status.

Unfortunately, the criminal justice system in Bradenton and the rest of Florida has not been as blind as it should be, at least not when it comes to prescription drug charges. Within the prescription drug trafficking scheme, there are two parties involved -- the doctors and the dealers. The doctors are willing to write prescriptions for patients who have no need for high-caliber pain medications and those patients then fill the prescriptions and sell the medicine. Both the doctors and the dealers have the same level of culpability in the transaction, but it is generally only the dealer who will serve time in prison.

Sarasota Drug Violations Law Blog