A situation outside Wisconsin recently ended with 16 people being arrested. The incident involved a federal drug crimes investigation that is said to have lasted more than a year. Officers apparently used wiretaps, surveillance and controlled drug purchases in their efforts to disband the alleged drug organization.
A 43-year-old man has been named as the supposed leader of the drug ring. Among the 10 counts listed against him in a federal indictment was an accusation of maintaining a property for purposes of drug distribution. He, and the 15 others involved, are accused of illicit drug offenses pertaining to cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana.
Authorities claim a backpack containing approximately $100,000 was located in the vehicle of one of the accused. They also said the serial numbers on some of the money matched those on bills used in the controlled purchases of their investigation. At least 12 of those arrested were booked into a county jail in Indiana where the investigation took place. Police apparently posted the defendants’ mug shots online.
Being arrested and charged for drug crimes in Wisconsin or any other state is no small matter. Penalties, if convicted, can be quite severe. To avoid possible time in prison and increase one’s chances of minimizing the negative impact of such circumstances, it may be best to secure experienced and aggressive criminal defense assistance before going to trial. An attorney can investigate the events leading up to an arrest to determine whether any personal rights have been violated and assess all options that might be available toward a strong defense.
Source: journalgazette.net, “Feds bust up drug trafficking ring“, Rebecca S. Green, Aug. 10, 2016