When drug busts happen, many people end up being indicted for crimes. For people who get caught up in the situation but who truly have no role in it, this can be devastating. People who were in the wrong place at the wrong time do end up arrested, and they deserve the chance to defend themselves and walk away without penalties that they don’t deserve.
Even those who do commit crimes don’t deserve to face the harshest penalties in most cases. Drug users, in particular, deserve a chance at protecting themselves and getting the treatment they need to break the cycle of addiction.
In severe cases, those who have offended in the past could end up with extreme penalties. For example, a Jan. 11 report indicated that 27 people were indicted on drug possession counts including the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and heroin, among other drugs. These defendants now have the chance to work with their attorneys to try to negotiate lower, or no, penalties for themselves.
One person, in this case, was sentenced in 2010 for leading a marijuana ring between Mexico and Pittsburgh. That individual previously faced life in prison, while his brother faced 20 years. Now, they will face charges again.
Any time drug rings are broken up, it’s normal to see dozens of people being indicted at once. Each of these people has a right to defend themselves. Not everyone is the leader or has bad intentions, and it is in the court’s, and their, best interests to make sure they get treatment over placing them in prison.