PROSECUTORS AGREE TO REDUCE CHARGES AND PROBATION IN THE MIDDLE OF TRIAL FOR CLIENT CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING COCAINE

By Erick Cruz July 19, 2017 Posted in News, Victories Share

A client charged with trafficking in cocaine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance avoided a lengthy prison sentence and had his charged reduced.  The client was recorded on audio and video surveillance selling cocaine and Molly to a confidential informant on two separate occasions.  The conversations, meet and exchange were all recorded on video and the informant was wearing a recording device that captured the conversation between the client and the informant.  Following the transaction where the client sold two ounces of cocaine to the informant, the client was arrested and charged with trafficking and two counts of possession with intent to distribute.

The client initially was unable to bond out of jail because there was a Nebbia hold on his bond.  When the family contacted Erick Cruz, he met with the family and obtained the financial records to demonstrate that the person who was paying the bond was using money from a legitimate source of income and not proceeds of illegal activity.  When the client was released, Erick got to work on the case.  Erick received the discovery in the case including the video recordings depicting the sale of the narcotics to the informant.  Despite what appeared to be overwhelming evidence, Erick recognized that the weakness in the case stemmed from the use of the confidential informant.  After several meetings with the client and conducting independent investigative work, Erick was able to identify the informant and obtained evidence relevant to proving that the informant had a serious motive to setup and entrap the client.

At trial, Erick was prepared to present the entrapment defense, but during the trial, Erick was able to prevent the admission of the video recordings into evidence and from consideration by the jury.  With the prosecutors primary evidence at risk of being completely excluded, Erick used the leverage gained from the situation to negotiate a plea deal that resulted in the distribution charges being reduced to simple possession and lengthy prison sentence reduced to two years of probation.

During his time as a prosecutor, Erick Cruz attended trainings specifically dealing with the prosecution of drug cases.  Erick knows the correct way to investigate and prosecute these cases and more importantly how to defend against the charges in Miami.  Erick has used this knowledge to successfully defend countless people charged in connection with drug distribution cases.    

Call Erick to discuss your case with him and find out how he can get your case dismissed, charges and sentence reduced and your arrest record sealed or expunged.