Articles Posted in Drug Charges

On Monday August 19, a traffic stop in South Haven resulted in two men being arrested after it was found the men were in possession of cocaine, marijuana, and an open bottle of vodka.

The men were driving a white Pontiac Bonneville in the area of CR 388 near I-196 at approximately 3 p.m. when they were pulled over in conjunction with the Office of Highway Safety Planning’s Seat Belt grant, according to a news article at Mlive.com. Van Buren County Sheriff’s deputies made the stop, and after investigating searched the Bonneville with the driver’s consent.

Upon searching the vehicle, deputies found 1.5 grams of marijuana, an open bottle of vodka, 0.2 grams of cocaine, and a digital drug scale. The driver, a resident of Gobles, was arrested and charged with cocaine possession, improperly transporting medical marijuana in a motor vehicle, driving on a suspended license, and transporting open intoxicants in a motor vehicle. The passenger of the vehicle is from South Haven; he was also arrested and charged with possession of open intoxicants in a motor vehicle.

The two men were lodged at the Van Buren County Jail. $100 was seized from the men under the Civil Forfeiture Act; police believe the money was related to drug activity.

Michigan drug possession attorneys know that even when an individual is accused of possessing a small amount of cocaine (under 50 grams), penalties are severe if convicted. For example, the defendant may face up to four years in prison and fines of as much as $25,000. For amounts more than 50 grams, penalties increase exponentially.

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Jessie Jones, a 42-year-old Liberty Township resident, was recently arrested for allegedly dealing heroin according to a news article at Mlive.com. Jones, who was arraigned on three felony charges on Thursday, August 15, was charged with using a firearm to commit a felony, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of heroin with intent to deliver.

On August 13, the Jackson Narcotics Enforcement Team searched Jones’s girlfriend’s home; Jones and his girlfriend were both at the residence according to police. Police searched the residence and located a handgun that had recently been stolen, according to Michigan State Police Detective Lt. David Cook. Police also found 3.5 grams of heroin on Jones.

Jackson Narcotics Enforcement Team had secured a warrant to search the home, located near Hatch Road in the 8000 block of S. Jackson Road. The team members secured the warrant as they had purchased heroin from Jones on several occasions. Prosecutors are asking that Jones’s girlfriend be charged in the case as well, although she had not been arrested as of August 16.

In the state of Michigan heroin is a Schedule 1 illicit narcotic which will leave those convicted facing extremely serious criminal penalties. Drugs which fall under Schedule 1 are penalized the most harshly, and are considered substances that are the most highly addictive and abused. As all Michigan drug dealing attorneys know, individuals who are accused of possessing heroin with the intent to deliver must obtain the legal guidance and support of an aggressive lawyer immediately.

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On Sunday August 11, Bay City police were called to the home of David R. Mayse on Marsac Street. Mayse had been watching television when he heard noises coming from upstairs where the building’s owner, Steven L. Rufershafer, grows marijuana for medical use. Rufershafer is a licensed medical marijuana caregiver; he was standing in the backyard at the home when police arrived on the scene.

After Mayse called Rufershafer to tell him there was someone in the home, Rufershafer went to the house and walked upstairs to investigate. He was carrying a gun according to a news article at Mlive.com, and concluded that someone was inside one of the rooms when he attempted to push on the door and it pushed back. Rufershafer then threatened the trespassers that he had a gun, and that if they tried anything he would shoot seven holes in the door. He then went outside into the backyard to look at a window that accessed the room, one that had contained an air conditioner but that was now open.

When police arrived on the scene, they found two 17-year-old teens, Dalton P. Harris and Ryan L. McGeshick. The two were taken into custody, along with a bag which contained marijuana according to court records.

The two teens were walking in the area earlier in the day according to a story Harris told police, when they smelled marijuana coming from the residence. The two then decided that come nightfall, they would break in and steal some of the marijuana crop. Harris alleges that McGeshick began cutting stems of the marijuana plants using a pair of shears.

On Monday August 12, Harris and McGeshick were arraigned by Bay County District Magistrate Janice E. Doner. The two were charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree home invasion, first-degree home invasion, delivery or manufacture of marijuana, and larceny in a building. As of August 14, the two teens remained in the Bay County Jail on a $25,000 cash-surety bond each.

While charges of home invasion are extremely serious and may leave the two men facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted, Michigan drug possession lawyers understand the seriousness of drug-related offenses as well. If convicted, these young boys may face up to four years in prison for delivery or manufacture of marijuana.

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On Monday August 12, a 17-year-old Lawrence man was arrested following a traffic stop on M-43 in Almena Township. Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office deputies pulled a vehicle over after observing the vehicle weaving within the lane and running onto the shoulder of the road.

Upon pulling the vehicle over, deputies noticed the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, according to a news article at Mlive.com. After interviewing occupants of the vehicle, deputies learned that the driver and some other occupants of the vehicle had been smoking marijuana prior to being pulled over.

Deputies searched the vehicle and located a marijuana pipe along with a small amount of marijuana; the driver was arrested for driving on a suspended license, marijuana possession, and OUID (operating under the influence of drugs).

Upon being searched by deputies, the driver was found to have a pair of brass knuckles with spikes in one of his shoes. He was placed in the Van Buren County Jail on the above offenses along with CCW (carrying a concealed weapon).

Michigan drug possession attorneys understand the serious criminal penalties individuals who are convicted may face. Someone doing something as seemingly minor as smoking marijuana may be fined $100 and sentenced to 90 days in jail. Penalties for possession of marijuana are more serious, and include fines of up to $2,000 and up to one year in jail. When cultivating or distributing is involved, the penalties are even harsher and may include prison time of as long as 15 years, and fines of up to $10 million dollars.

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On Friday August 9, Michigan State Police were involved in a high-speed chase near Cadillac through Wexford County after attempting to pull over a vehicle for speeding on U.S. 131. The incident took place at approximately 7:20 p.m. according to a news article at Mlive.com.

When troopers attempted to pull over the driver of the speeding vehicle, he fled east on M-115 after exiting the freeway. Police allege the man was driving in excess of 100 mph. Eventually the speeding motorist struck a patrol car that was in pursuit of him, which resulted in his vehicle being pushed into a ditch. The suspect then spun the car around before fleeing west on M-115. Police then executed a PIT maneuver, which is a tactical ramming technique in an effort to stop the speeding vehicle.

Upon stopping the vehicle, troopers discovered the suspect was driving with a suspended license and was in possession of cocaine and heroin. He was arrested and charged with driving on a suspended license, fleeing and eluding police resulting in a collision, and possession with intent to deliver cocaine and heroin. Following his arrest the suspect was lodged in the Wexford County Jail.

Michigan drug possession attorneys know the serious criminal penalties individuals face when charged with possession with intent to deliver cocaine, heroin, or other illegal drugs or narcotics. Depending on which schedule a drug is classified as, penalties for a conviction can be extremely severe, including fines of between $25,000 and $1,000,000 and/or a prison sentence of 20 years to life for Schedule I or Schedule II drugs. Even less serious offenses leave those convicted facing potential jail time, fines, driver’s license sanctions, and more. Any drug offense can negatively affect your career, reputation, and other areas of your life.

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On July 23, Child Protective Services received a tip regarding an alleged meth lab in a North Shores home where two children lived, according to a news article at Mlive.com. The children’s mother, Glinda Marie Reeman, now faces trial for running a meth lab; the children were removed from the home by CPS workers.

The home, located in the 3100 block of Sheffield Street, is where North Shores police found what they believed to be components of a meth lab in outside trash cans. Police were called to the home at the request of Child Protective Services. According to police, the alleged meth lab is the second to be located in Norton Shores, and was believed to be the largest to date located within Muskegon County.

Reeman has been charged with operating or maintaining a meth lab, and methamphetamine delivery/manufacture. If convicted, each of the two felony counts are punishable by up to 20 years in prison.

After uncovering the items they believed to be related to manufacturing meth, police called in the West Michigan Enforcement Team for assistance. The home and outbuildings on the property were searched by WEMET, North Shores Police, and Child Protective Services. While reports indicate police did not find an active lab, they did uncover pseudoephedrine blister packs, cold pack remnants, lithium battery casings, used coffee filters, and 15 hydrogen chloride gas generators. The news article also stated police allegedly found 18 “one pot meth labs” which were inactive.

What police called “considerable” amounts of meth oil was seized at the home, along with a small amount of marijuana and methamphetamine.

Reeman was arraigned on July 25 and waived a preliminary hearing. As of Wednesday August 7, she remained incarcerated at the Muskegon County Jail on a $25,000 cash or surety bond.

Michigan drug crime lawyers know the serious penalties individuals face when convicted of a drug offense such as operating a meth lab. The state of Michigan cracks down extremely hard on drug offenders, which is why those accused must have a skilled and capable attorney.

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Last month, a Genesee County jail guard was fired from her job after being accused of giving illegal drugs to an inmate at the jail. Amy Gatica was arraigned on 16 counts after it was alleged she brought cocaine into the facility and provided it to inmates while on duty. Gatica had been working at the Genesee County Jail as a corrections deputy for 13 years.

A July news article at Mlive.com indicated that Gatica was charged with two misdemeanor counts and 14 felony counts. Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell stated at a press conference that the incidents went back as far as October of 2012, and that Gatica smuggled prescription drugs and cocaine inside her clothes, delivering them to an inmate.

The sheriff’s office received a tip regarding the Gatica case according to Pickell, and immediately began investigating. Authorities searched Gatica’s vehicle and home, confiscating drugs; Pickell went on to say that she was “an addict,” and that she had cocaine and other illegal drugs in her system.

Frank J. Manley, Gatica’s attorney, said that she had a medical condition she took pain medication for; he scoffed at the allegations his client was an addict. He also said that the sheriff’s department may have been aware of Gatica’s medical condition, but made no effort to help her. According to Manley there was no proof that the defendant had given drugs to an inmate at the jail.

Gatica was charged with 11 counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, two counts of possession of marijuana, two counts of possession of cocaine less than 25 grams, and delivery of cocaine less than 50 grams. The sheriff also alleged that Gatica was obtaining prescription drugs like Vicodin by using the personal information of a private physician. There has been no word as to when Gatica will be tried for the charges.

Drug crimes can leave those accused facing extremely serious penalties if convicted. As experienced Michigan drug crime lawyers know, delivery of less than 50 grams of cocaine will leave someone who is convicted facing fines of up to $25,000, and up to 20 years in prison. Even possessing less than 25 grams of cocaine can leave you facing as much as four years in prison and substantial fines.

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Recently, a resident of Colon Township was taken into custody and arrested for methamphetamine-related charges after the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office received a report of “smoking” trash. When a deputy arrived at the scene, he found the trash bag reported by a resident in the area was smoking. The trash bag was located on the side of Decker Road in Colon Township on Tuesday, July 30 according to a news article at Mlive.com.

The deputy suspected the trash was meth related according to a news release issued by the Sheriff’s office. Deputies called SCAN (St. Joseph County Area Narcotics) investigators who went through the trash and found items which led them to believe the resident had been using and manufacturing methamphetamines. A search warrant request was then issued, and upon execution police discovered critical evidence.

The resident who was suspected of meth use and manufacturing was not at home at the time investigators discovered the items, but did return while authorities were still at the scene. The suspect was then taken into custody and incarcerated at the St. Joseph County Jail.

The press release issued by the Sheriff’s department indicates the suspect faces several charges including possession of meth, maintaining a drug house, possession of marijuana, and operating/maintaining a meth lab.

Michigan methamphetamine possession attorneys know that anyone who is convicted of possessing this Schedule 2 drug faces harsh consequences. When manufacturing or intending to distribute or deliver is also a factor, the penalties become even more serious. Drug crimes are taken very seriously in the state, and prosecuted vigorously.

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In 2010, Aryn Deshaun Nash was shot in the head in Muskegon Heights while riding in a vehicle with Michael Fair; Nash was 18 years old at the time, and fully recovered following surgery for his injury. Now 21 years old, Nash is facing criminal drug charges following his arrest on the evening of Saturday July 27 in the Dyson Street area of Muskegon Heights.

According to news reports at Mlive.com, Nash was pulled over that evening by two Muskegon County Sheriff’s deputies who were patrolling the area when they noticed Nash’s suspended license plate. What was first thought to be a routine traffic stop turned into something else when deputies noticed Nash attempting to hide something in the pocket of his sweatshirt. He also allegedly refused the deputies’ request to get out of the vehicle.

When the deputies did manage to get the suspect out of the vehicle, they noticed a strong odor of what they believed to be marijuana inside the car according to the sheriff’s office report. Upon searching the vehicle, deputies found plastic baggies, several cell phones, small scales, cocaine, cocaine powder, and other items typically connected with the manufacture and distribution of drugs. Nash also had approximately $2,500 on him according to the report.

Nash now faces felony charges of possession with intent to deliver cocaine, less than 50 grams, and resisting/obstructing a police officer. The Muskegon County Prosecutor’s Office is charging Nash as a third-time offender, which will increase the maximum penalty for the crime he is alleged to have committed from 20 years to 40 years. His status as a habitual offender stems from another drug-related arrest in June.

Nash was scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, July 29.

Michigan drug possession defense attorneys know that the manufacture, use, and distribution of narcotic drugs and illegal substances are a huge problem in the state. However, individuals who have been charged with a drug-related offense do have rights, and are innocent until proven guilty.

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On Tuesday July 30, 25-year-old Cierra Shanae Collins pleaded guilty to a delivery of marijuana charge in connection to an attempt to smuggle drugs to inmates incarcerated in the Central Michigan Correctional Facility. Collins, a resident of Grand Rapids, reportedly tried to smuggle oxycodone, marijuana, and other items to inmates.

A news article at Mlive.com states that late last year, two inmates asked a corrections officer if he would assist them in bringing heroin into the facility in exchange for cash. Instead, the corrections officer reported the inmates request to the police, according to Gratiot County Prosecutor Keith Kushion.

The inmates apparently believed the corrections officer would work with them, and contacted Antawanicka Sherrills, another Grand Rapids resident, to arrange for Collins to make the drug delivery. Collins was to meet with the corrections officer, who would then deliver the drugs to Central Michigan Correctional Facility.

Instead, Collins met with who she believed to be a corrections officer in a Walmart parking lot in late December. The individual she passed the items to was actually a Michigan State Police detective. Collins gave him a cell phone, cash, and packages containing drugs. She was sentenced to up to 90 days in jail, and approximately three years probation. Kushion stated that Collins was currently on probation in connection with a charge on delivering drugs in another state.

Michigan drug defense attorneys know the importance of having a capable and aggressive lawyer on your side when charged with a drug offense. The use, possession, or delivery of marijuana, narcotics, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and other drugs is taken very seriously in the state. Penalties are extremely harsh for those convicted, often including steep fines and substantial jail/prison time.

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