On Oct. 9, Florida authorities announced that they took down a major drug ring that had been operating in the counties of Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton. The bust led to the arrests of four people.
According to a report, law enforcement officers from multiple agencies executed an arrest warrant at a resort in Destin and a search warrant at another location in Miramar Beach. These actions led to the arrests of two men, ages 38 and 43, and the seizure of a large quantity of drugs. Two other men, ages 37 and 40, were previously taken into custody.
Over the course of the investigation, officers reportedly seized over 2,165 grams of heroin, around 341 grams of methamphetamine, over $55,000 in cash and four firearms. The total street value of the drugs is estimated to be nearly $285,000. The defendants have been charged with drug trafficking in heroin, drug trafficking in methamphetamine, resisting arrest and various weapons crimes. The 43-year-old defendant was additionally wanted for a parole violation in Alabama.
Individuals charged with heroin trafficking or other drug crimes might feel frightened and alone. However, defendants never have to face criminal charges on their own. By working with a criminal defense attorney, it might be possible for some defendants to successfully fight the accusations against them. The attorney could review the case and look for details that could be used in a defendant’s favor, such as lack of evidence or police misconduct during the investigation. This could lead to the charges being dropped. If that isn’t possible, legal counsel might recommend a plea deal that reduces the charges, which could help the defendant obtain a lighter sentence.
