Drug Possession Charges Are Much Worse When A Child Is Present
Drug possession with intent to sell is a much more serious charge than simple possession. When defendants get charged with possession with intent to sell, defense lawyers are sometimes able to arrange plea deals that reduce the charges to simple possession if the quantity of drugs found in the defendant’s residence or car was relatively small and not indicative of a leading role in a large drug trafficking operation. Evidence of intent to sell is not the only factor that can make your legal problems worse if police find a small quantity of illegal drugs in your possession. If a child is present in the household or vehicle where police find the drugs, you could be charged with child endangerment, and if the child is your son or daughter, the court could place restrictions on your parenting time in family court. If you are being accused of possessing illegal drugs in the presence of a minor child, contact a West Palm Beach drug offenses lawyer.
Palm Beach County Woman Arrested for Possessing Cocaine and MDPV in Hotel Room with Young Child
In August 2023, Tiffany Raines of Riviera Beach was staying at the Super 8 motel on West Blue Heron Boulevard with her one-year-old child when Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office deputies raided her motel room. The deputies suspected that Raines had been selling drugs from the motel room, so they approached her when she and her child were entering the room and subsequently conducted a search. They found 2.7 pounds of crack cocaine and slightly less than one gram of methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), as well as pipes and scales. After finding the drugs in the hotel room, deputies obtained a warrant to search an apartment that Raines had recently moved out of. During this search, they found drugs and firearms.
Raines, 33, is facing charges for drug possession with intent to sell, child neglect, possession of drug paraphernalia, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses. While her case is pending, relatives of Raines have temporary custody of the child.
MDPV, a Designer Drug From the Early 2000s
MDPV is a Schedule I controlled substance with effects similar to amphetamines or cocaine. Before it was banned in 2004, it used to be sold at gas stations, where it was usually labeled as bath salts or incense. It is often added to cocaine because it intensifies the effects of cocaine. At high doses, it causes high blood pressure and fast heart rate. Patients who arrive at the emergency room suffering from MDPV overdose receive treatment with sedatives such as benzodiazepines, antipsychotic drugs, or, if necessary, general anesthesia. MDPV related deaths have been reported, but some of these are due to overdose, while others are due to victims engaging in dangerous behavior while under the influence of the drug.
Contact a West Palm Beach Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
Attorney William Wallshein has more than 39 years of experience, including five years as a prosecutor in Palm Beach County. Contact William Wallshein P.A. in West Palm Beach, Florida to discuss your case.
Source:
wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/riviera-beach/riviera-beach-woman-conducted-cocaine-sale-with-baby-present-police-say
