Sometimes, drug-related investigative operations by authorities result in large numbers of individuals having charges brought against them. This can be seen in a police investigation that recently occurred in Chicago.
The investigation was of alleged drug activity in the city’s West Side. According to authorities, a drug distribution operation involving crack cocaine and heroin was being run in this area. Authorities claim a street gang was behind this operation. One of the sources of information police had regarding the alleged distribution operation was cooperating individuals.
The police investigation lasted about a year, and it recently led to charges being brought against 27 individuals. The specific allegations the individuals are facing vary quite a bit from person to person.
For 14 of these individuals, the charges brought against them are federal charges. The remaining 13 individuals have been charged on state charges.
As this case illustrates, large drug cases can be very complicated, with many different people being charged, many different types of allegations being leveled and many different types and classes of charges being brought. This can leave a person charged in such a case feeling somewhat lost and confused as to what their situation is and what they should do. Experienced defense attorneys can help individuals charged in large drug cases figure out what specific allegations and consequences they are facing, what defense options are available to them based on the entirety of the circumstances of the case and what strategies might be the best suited for their situation.
Source: Chicago Sun-Times, “27 charged in West Side drug market,” Becky Schlikerman, June 12, 2014
