Students were returning to school at Yale in August when more than 100 drug overdoses occurred in a nearby park, according to news reports. The overdoses stemmed from a batch of K2, a form of synthetic marijuana that many people spray on plant materials and smoke. Authorities later reported the K2 in question was laced with another illegal substance called fubinaca (ADB-FUBINACA). While, fortunately, police reported no overdose deaths, the Yale-New Haven Hospital treated dozens of people for overdose symptoms, and reports indicate that some people returned to the hospital for treatment four or five times.
New Haven police reported they made two arrests in connection with the overdoses, and federal authorities arrested a third person. The arrests were on suspicion of distribution of the contaminated K2 at the park. Reports indicate that one arrestee has prior drug distribution convictions.
Drug Distribution Charges in Connecticut
While all drug-related offenses are serious, the consequences increase when authorities accuse you of distributing controlled substances instead of merely possessing a substance for personal use. You don’t have to actually get caught selling drugs to face distribution charges, as you only need to transfer—or intend to transfer—the drugs to another person.
Prosecutors can use different types of evidence to try to prove possession with intent to distribute, including:
- Witness statements
- Possessing larger amounts of drugs
- Separating the drugs into smaller, individual packages
- Possessing baggies, scales, or other tools used to package drugs
- Having large amounts of cash
- Frequent appearances at places where drug sales often take place
- Possession of multiple cell phones
- Possession of drug sales records (i.e. handwritten ledgers or notes)
- Information from confidential informants
Most of this is circumstantial evidence unless police actually witness a drug sale or transfer themselves. Experienced drug crime defense lawyers can challenge this evidence to demonstrate you only possessed the drugs for personal use, which can result in a significant reduction of charges and penalties.
Another common issue in any type of drug possession case involves your Fourth Amendment rights. Did police have a valid warrant or justification to search you, your car, or your home for drugs? Did officers obtain a valid arrest warrant or have probable cause to arrest you? These are all important issues for your defense attorney to evaluate.
The possible penalties for a drug distribution conviction will vary depending on the substance involved and the amount of the substance you allegedly possessed. Penalties can escalate if you were allegedly near a school, distributing to a minor, if you have a prior drug conviction on your record, or if a death resulted from the use of the distributed drugs. It’s critical to avoid even a first conviction whenever possible, so don’t wait to call our criminal defense firm for help.
Contact Our Connecticut, Drug Crimes Defense Lawyers for Assistance
The criminal defense lawyers at Koffsky & Felsen, LLC have extensive experience handling a wide range of criminal cases, including drug distribution and other drug-related crimes. If you stand accused of drug distribution charges, you are facing potentially serious consequences, and you should seek defense representation right away. Call our office at (203) 327-1500 or contact us online to discuss your arrest and charges today.
