Being charged with a crime does not take away the right of the accused to defend against the allegations. There are times when defendants may not have committed the offense in question, but even if they did, there may be certain factors that could result in less severe punishment. Charges relating to drug crimes, including marijuana, often carry harsh sentences that can negatively impact a person’s life. This could be three men accused of distributing marijuana here in Rhode Island could be facing.
The arrests came after an investigation led by a joint task force. Officers from state and local police in conjunction with representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Agency and others created a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Officers obtained court-authorized search warrants and used them to search the homes of three suspects as well as a location said to house a Butane Honey Oil Lab, which is an extract of marijuana.
Police say they seized more than 500 marijuana plants, over 100 pounds of usable marijuana and several pounds of butane honey oil. They also claim to have confiscated over $87,000 in cash and 13 guns. They arrested three men, who were charged with several crimes relating to marijuana distribution and firearms.
No matter what law enforcement says about these marijuana charges, every person has the right to counsel and is presumed innocent until, and only if, proven guilty in criminal court. These charges are serious, however, and anyone facing this kind of situation should carefully consider the best strategy for criminal defense. An attorney here in Rhode Island can guide an accused person and offer the best chance at fair treatment in court.
