A 19-year-old man was charged with possession of a controlled substance after he was seen snorting cocaine in the restroom of a pizza shop in Palos Hills, Illinois. He was also seen smoking marijuana in the beer garden at the same location with another individual. The man and the other individual were both escorted off the premises.
The man then threw a baggie of cocaine and the cannabis underneath his car, which resulted in police taking him into custody. Although his attorney claimed in court that the honor roll college student had no money for bond, it was set at $30,000. The judge in the case reasoned that if he had money for drugs, then he had money to get out of jail. His next court date was scheduled for April 12.
A person who possesses even a small amount of a controlled substance, such as cocaine or marijuana, could face stiff penalties. However, it may be possible for those who are facing drug charges to get their cases thrown out or receive plea deals. Plea deals are often offered to people who are first-time offenders or in cases that prosecutors don’t deem as serious as others that they are dealing with. However, anyone could be offered a plea deal in almost any case.
An attorney may take steps, such as casting doubt on witness testimony, to help an individual obtain an acquittal. A lawyer may also point out the fact that his or her client has good grades or is otherwise thought highly of in the community in hopes of obtaining a plea deal. Judges may allow for a suspended sentence, which could result in charges being dropped if a defendant stays out of trouble for a certain period of time.
