Fairfax Drug Prosecution and Investigation

Due to the serious penalties that accompany a drug crime conviction, it is important that you know how these types of cases are likely to be prosecuted and investigated and then call an experienced Fairfax drug lawyer to begin building your defense. Call and schedule a consultation today to discuss the specifics of your case.

How Drug Cases are Prosecuted in Fairfax

Generally speaking, drug cases are prosecuted very seriously and the police narcotic division aggressively pursues these charges. As a result, the narcotics division makes a lot of arrests and conducts many investigations. This in turn means prosecutors also prioritize these cases and often prosecute drug offenders as vigorously as possible.

Drug Investigations in Fairfax

Police officers have discretion in charging people for drug offenses and as a result there are a variety of different ways that these cases are investigated. Some common tactics are being aggressive at traffic stops and in cases charge people with distribution charges when they could easily charge them with simple possession offenses instead. In addition, another common tactic is to turn those arrested into confidential informants so the city can build cases against dealers at a higher level.

When this takes place the prosecution with convince the informant to buy drugs from other targets so that they can build a case of probable cause and obtain search warrants. Once these warrants are in place Police are able to search the homes of the suspected drug dealers and try to catch them with drugs in the homes which is likely to turn into arrests.

Drug Charges Fairfax Law Enforcement Officers Are Trying to Crack Down On

One type of charge that law enforcement has tried to crack down on recently is heroin. Overdoses in Virginia have almost tripled in recent years and as most people know it is a lethal drug and therefore a high public safety concern. Due to these factors this is an emerging trend and one that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

Investigations During Traffic Stops

One of the most common ways people face drug charges is through the occurrence of traffic stops. For this reason it is important to keep in mind that you do not have to consent to anything and the officer will not be able to search your vehicle unless they can establish probable cause to do so. An example where probable cause would be established is where there is an odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle. In this case an officer would have legal basis to search the vehicle

Constitutional Issues During Vehicle Searches

The Fourth Amendment regarding search and seizure is one of the most important aspects of criminal law and frequently arises in these types of situations. Having a good foundation of what the rules and what police are legally able to do is the crux of most criminal cases. Thus the search of a vehicle can bring with it many constitutional questions which would be an issue in those types of cases.

Agencies Involved in Drug Investigations

In Fairfax, there are a wide array of agencies that could potentially be involved in investigating drug offenses. These agencies include:

• Fairfax County Police
• George Mason University Campus Police
• Fairfax City Police
• Metro Transit
• Vienna, Herndon, and Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority
• The DEA
• Homeland Security
• Customs/Immigrations Inspectors

There is a wide spectrum of law enforcement agencies that all have their hands in drug cases in Fairfax County.