On May 31, a 29-year-old Florida man was shot by undercover agents as they tried to place him under arrest. According to authorities, the defendant was participating in a drug deal just prior to the incident.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office reports that members of the City-County Investigative Bureau observed a drug transaction occurring in a car at a Chevron gas station around 2 p.m. The agents approached the car and ordered the defendant to exit the vehicle with his hands up. He allegedly disobeyed the orders, and agents subsequently fired their weapons at him.
The defendant suffered non-life-threatening gunshot wounds and was transported to the Orlando Regional Medical Center for treatment. He underwent surgery and is reportedly recovering. Upon his release, he will be charged with trafficking heroin and fentanyl. The shots also led a female passenger in the car to suffer minor injuries. She was treated at South Seminole Hospital and released. The woman was then booked into the Polk County Correctional Facility and charged with dealing heroin. Her bail was set at $20,000. Authorities said the drug investigation is ongoing.
Individuals charged with drug crimes may feel hopeless. However, every defendant has the right to retain the services of a criminal defense attorney and mount a vigorous defense against the charges. For example, police don’t always follow the correct procedures while making an arrest. When this happens, an attorney could push for any evidence they collected to be thrown out. This might cause a case to be dropped. Even if the evidence is solid, an attorney may be able to negotiate a plea bargain that reduces the charges.
