Putnam County Marijuana Charges Reduced
A Crescent City police officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for failing to use its turn signal. The officer made contact with the driver and could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The officer had the driver exit the vehicle and placed him in handcuffs.
The officer informed the driver that he would conduct a search of the vehicle based on the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. The officer questioned the driver about any marijuana that may be in the vehicle, which the driver admitted to. Ultimately, the officer located approximately 242 grams of marijuana and the driver was arrested for Possession of Cannabis with Intent to sell and Possession of Cannabis over 20 grams, both of which are third degree felony offenses.
The driver hired Meldon Law. After reviewing the discovery, the attorney deposed the arresting officer. During the deposition the attorney questioned the facts surrounding the stop as well as the questioning of his client. The attorney then spoke with the prosecutor regarding potential motions to suppress evidence and was then able to negotiate a resolution that resulted in the possession with intent to sell charge being dropped and the felony possession charge being reduced to a misdemeanor offense.
The driver received a withhold of adjudication, avoiding a conviction, and was sentenced one day in the Putnam County Jail, which he already served.
DISCLAIMER: The results are specific to the facts and legal circumstances of each of the clients’ cases and should not be used to form an expectation that the same results could be obtained for other clients in similar matters without reference to the specific factual and legal circumstances of each client’s case. (Date of Arrest: June 22, 2019).
