Do the Drugs Belong to You, Your Roomie, or Your Landlord?
Central Florida is not as expensive a place to live as New York City or San Francisco, but given the rising prices of consumer goods and the difficulty of finding jobs that are more permanent than freelance gigs, hardly anyone can afford to rent a house or apartment all by themselves, even in a slackers’ paradise like Florida. Therefore, many Floridians live with roommates into their 30s and beyond. Of course, living with your roommates means living with your roommates’ drugs. The good news is that, most of the time, the police do not search people’s houses for drugs; they can only do that after the court has issued a search warrant, and that only happens after the police provide specific information to a judge about the evidence they expect to find if the court authorizes them to conduct the search. The bad news is that, if police find drugs, they will likely be suspicious of everyone who lives at the house, as well as any visitors who were present at the time of the search. If you are facing criminal charges arising from your housemate’s drug stash, contact a Florida drug offenses attorney.
Four Housemates Arrested After Police Execute Search Warrant at Orlando House
The trouble started when Randall Healy Clark was driving near his home in Orlando, and police recognized his license plate. A court had issued an arrest warrant for Clark on suspicion of trafficking in methamphetamine. After arresting him, they searched his car and found 125 grams of meth. They also arrested Patricia Fredrick, who was a passenger in the car, since she had a small quantity of fentanyl in her possession.
Based on the evidence gathered at the traffic stop, the officers were able to persuade the court to issue a search warrant for the house where Clark lives with several housemates. They executed the search warrant later the same day, and a search of the house yielded 25 grams of methamphetamine, one gram of cocaine, 14 grams of GHB, and various pills with a combined weight of approximately 200 grams. They also found ammunition in the house. During the search, police arrested Deborah Rogers and Audriana Gardner. Rogers is being charged with possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, as well as drug possession with intent to sell. Gardner’s arrest stems from an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear in court when ordered to do so.
The owner of the house is not facing any charges in connection to the incident. It does not appear that she lives at the house, but based on her name, she may be a family member of one of the tenants.
Contact FL Drug Defense Group About Drug Cases
Just because you live in the same house, it does not always mean that you are guilty by association. A Central Florida criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges arising from your housemate’s drug-related arrest. Contact FL Drug Defense Group in Orlando, Florida to discuss your case.
Source:
clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/07/23/40-year-old-orlando-man-arrested-accused-of-multiple-drug-charges/
