It may shock some in Wheeling to see just how many criminal charges can arise from a single action by law enforcement. However, some may say that depending on the scope of the alleged offenses and the number of people involved, a myriad of charges is to be expected. Hearing of multiple legal offenses being leveled regarding a single event may cause some to believe that law enforcement officials are at their discretion when charging defendants.
Such a thought may have been on the minds of some after news broke of a tenth person arrested in connection with a raid on a Charleston bar. The raid occurred after a confidential informant delivered stolen beer to the bar. This resulted in both the bar owner and manager being charged with unlawful acts of licensees. The local Alcohol Beverage Control Administration has since suspended the establishment’s liquor license.
The other arrests made during the raid were all drug-related. Two of the patrons were discovered to have outstanding arrest warrants, while a handful of others were found to be in possession of drugs such as marijuana and crack cocaine. This represents just the latest in a long series of raids local authorities have conducted on the bar, with past actions being prompted by accusations of everything from drug activity to illegal gaming.
Even in cases were evidence implies multiple offenses may have occurred, law enforcement officials are not free to simply charge suspects with whatever they choose to. Rather, a defendant’s actions should warrant whatever criminal complaints are leveled against him or her. Those hoping to challenge such complaints may be wise to first seek the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney.
Source: WSAZ-TV “UPDATE: Another arrest in connection to bar raid on Charleston’s west side” Aug. 10, 2014
