Drug charges can often be incredibly complex in their interconnectedness. A single incident of authorities finding drugs or controlled substances on a person may result not only in possession charges but also trafficking and distribution offenses, as well. In some circumstances, even the mere association with one who has been charged with a drug offense might find one facing a criminal case. While an argument may be made that law enforcement authorities would not bring such charges if there was no evidence to support them, it might seem concerning to some that so many alleged offenses can be traced back to a single incident.
Two residents of Elkins are currently learning this lesson the hard way. The pair (a mother and son) are facing multiple charges after police searched their home following a seemingly unrelated incident. During the search, drugs and distribution paraphernalia were found, leading to the pairs’ arrest. Authorities had been responding to a call that gunfire had been heard in the area. An investigation did indeed reveal shell casings, and witnesses said the people involved in the shooting entered into a nearby apartment. It was in that apartment that the police discovered the mother and son along with the drug items.
The son claimed the drugs and paraphernalia were his, yet his mother was still arrested along with him (not on drug charges, but for conspiracy and child neglect). That a myriad of charges related to a single incident exists does not mean that they are all not justified. Still, special care should be taken to ensure that authorities are not excessively charging an individual. Arguing such a point may be much easier if one has the experience and expertise of an attorney to rely on.