Three adults in St. Mary's County were accused of illegally using and selling the prescription drug oxycodone after the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant in Hollywood on Dec. 28. A 44-year-old man was engaged what the officers described as a drug transaction when deputies stopped the car he was driving. The officers had a search warrant to search his home and his person. The sheriff's department said that he swallowed an illegal drug when they approached his car. The man was taken into custody at the scene and charged with operating a vehicle with a revoked license.
At the man's home, the sheriff's department and the Emergency Services Team executed a search. They claim that they found oxycodone and related paraphernalia. The man will be charged with drug possession and intent to distribute.
Another man and a woman were also in the vehicle with the 44-year-old man. They were also taken into custody. They were charged with possession of cocaine and paraphernalia. All three appeared before a district commissioner and have been released on their own recognizance. They have pending court dates for the legal charges.
The passengers in the car with the first man were apparently searched without a warrant. A criminal defense lawyer might challenge the searches as unconstitutional. The deputies would need probable cause to search the passengers unless the passengers gave their consent to a search. A criminal defense lawyer might also look for opportunities to challenge the search warrant. If the search is ruled unconstitutional, it seems that the prosecution will have no evidence to continue on the case.
Source: Southern Maryland News Net, "Hollywood Trio Arrested on Drug Charges", December 28, 2013
