When a college student in Fort Walton Beach gets arrested for drug possession, the stakes are high. Most people don’t know that you will lose your federal student loans if you are convicted of a drug crime. That, in addition to a mandatory 1 year suspension of your driver’s license, possible jail time, and a permanent criminal record, means drug charges must be taken seriously.
MM was a young college student with his whole future in front of him. He had been arrested for Possession of Marijuana and he was very worried about what this would do to his future.
After listening to the facts of the case, I knew we had a possible search and seizure issue related to the search of the vehicle our client was in. The police in Fort Walton Beach do not always follow proper procedure when it comes to traffic stops and searches, so I had to fully research this issue.
My initial hunch was correct. There was a potential legal issue with the traffic stop conducted by the Fort Walton Beach police department, so I drafted a Motion To Suppress Evidence.
I’ve been practicing criminal defense law for many years, so I have learned that with any Motion To Suppress, it is never guaranteed that the Judge will grant it, even in cases where the violation seems obvious. So when I filed the Motion, the Prosecutor reviewed it, and offered MM Pretrial Diversion which would guarantee a dismissal of MM’s charges if he completed the terms.
I talked to MM about his options and told him it was up to him whether to accept the Pretrial Diversion, or move forward with the Suppression Hearing. MM was relieved to have an option that guaranteed him the result he needed, so he accepted the offer.
MM successfully finished the Pretrial Diversion, which led to the case being dropped. Once it was dropped, I had the arrest expunged off of his record.
I’m a parent myself, so I know that sometimes, young people make mistakes. It is my job as a criminal defense lawyer to make sure a youthful mistake doesn’t affect the rest of someone’s life.
If you or your son or daughter has been arrested for a drug crime in Fort Walton Beach, I can help. Call Flaherty & Merrifield today at (850) 243-6097.