A New Jersey man was taken into police custody on Oct. 12 after two contempt warrants were put out for his arrest. He was charged with possession of cocaine and drug distribution in addition to charges related to resisting arrest. He now has a court date set for later this month.
According to the report, the man was apprehended by a police officer who was familiar with the man. As the officer approached him, he stated that he saw the man place a clear plastic baggie in his sweatshirt pocket. The officer attempted to get the man to place his hands on a nearby parked vehicle. However, the man elbowed the officer in the chest. After a short struggle, the man attempted to flee by trying to enter a house.
When several other officers arrived at the scene to try to handcuff him, the man allegedly resisted arrest. He eventually fell off concrete steps, injuring several officers in the process. After the police were able to handcuff the man and subdue him, they allegedly found three vials of cocaine and other drug paraphernalia on his person.
A conviction on any drug charge can result in serious consequences, including jail time, a loss of an individual’s driver’s license and hefty fines and court fees. In addition, a conviction also gives an individual a criminal record, which may limit a person’s ability to seek financial assistance for housing and school and may limit their employment opportunities. However, in a case like this, a skilled New Jersey attorney may be able to reduce the consequences of drug convictions by negotiating with the prosecution or fighting the charges. For example, if the attorney finds evidence that their client’s rights were violated during the arrest, the charges may be completely dismissed.