Authorities in Louisiana take drug trafficking very seriously. If they believe they have a good case against a defendant, they will likely seek to impose serious penalties for any alleged transgressions. As such, a defendant who is charged with drug trafficking could wind up spending many years in prison and may also have to pay a very hefty fine.
A Texas man was recently arrested when he landed to refuel his plane in Schieber. According to a Terrebonne Parish sheriff, the man was arrested by both state and federal authorities and issued charges for transactions involving drug proceeds and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
The sheriff’s office states that Thibodaux police, Customs and State Police were on the scene as the plane touched down. A Terrebonne district attorney says the case is viewed as being extremely serious. The man is currently facing federal charges, although consideration is being given to adding state charges as well.
Reportedly, authorities seized in excess of 15 kilograms of cocaine. As we have written in a previous post, in Louisiana, cocaine possession of between just 28 and 200 grams could result in up to 60 years prison time. Depending upon the amount seized, there is the possibility of fines of up to $600,000.
Clearly, anyone who is accused of being in possession of a large amount of cocaine needs to start planning a defense strategy as soon as possible. When faced with such circumstances, it is important that a defendant is protected by the Fourth Amendment against being subjected to an unlawful search and seizure.
If a defendant’s rights are violated during an arrest, an experienced criminal defense attorney may be able to prove as such, which may in turn result in the charges being dropped. If it appears the arrest was made with no violations, the attorney could help negotiate the best possible outcome for the defendant.
Source: The Brownsville Herald, “Sheriff: Cocaine seized from Brownsville man’s plane originated in Mexico,” Sept. 29, 2015