Drug Arrests After Long Investigations

Sometimes, it takes law enforcement a long time to gather sufficient evidence to make a drug arrest, particularly if the targets are part of a large smuggling operation. Building these cases can take years: partly to find the evidence, and partly to make a case against one or more specific individuals. However, there is one axiom that every drug defendant should remember: the longer an investigation takes, the easier it may be for an experienced defense attorney to attack.

May Have No Warning

One of the most important parts of criminal law is the statute of limitations. Without them, cases could be prosecuted ages after the fact, after evidence has decomposed and memories have faded – and this would certainly not give a defendant a fair trial. However, the statute of limitations does not apply before an arrest is made, meaning that such an event can come out of nowhere for Floridians (particularly if they have not actually committed the crime).

While an arrest can come out of nowhere, it is crucial to remember that Florida has extremely harsh drug laws, with long sentences for those who are convicted. That said, it is perhaps human nature that when law enforcement throws all available resources toward making arrests, they may make mistakes – and those mistakes are what a quality defense attorney can find and exploit.

Creating Reasonable Doubt

It may sound counterintuitive to argue that the results of a long investigation may be easier to contest than those of a short investigation, but it is commonly true simply because law enforcement only has so many resources to spread around. In addition, certain factors in a long investigation can be held up to scrutiny simply because they took so long to find: for example, a witness who comes forward after months, or a document found in a location already searched.

A defense attorney may not have any exculpatory evidence to work with when representing a defendant – but it may be possible to create reasonable doubt simply by critiquing the work of the prosecution. Scrutinizing the nature of the investigation against a client can sometimes lead to a quality defense, and of course, a quality defense can lead to better outcomes for one’s clients.

Contact A West Palm Beach Drug Offenses Attorney

If you have been arrested and charged with a drug offense, regardless of how long the investigation took beforehand, you deserve an experienced attorney on your side. A West Palm Beach drug offenses attorney from Perlet & Shiner, P.A. can help give you the best possible chance for a fair outcome. Call our office today to schedule a consultation.