Orlando Criminal Law Blog

Federal authorities believe that they have put an end to a Florida-based multi-state drug theft ring that managed to steal at least $80 million worth of prescription drugs. A three-year undercover probe by the Federal Bureau of Investigations led to the arrest of 11 suspects on theft and burglary charges, among others.

The suspects were charged in an 18-count indictment, which included illegal distribution of a controlled substance and the possession or sale of stolen property. The distribution charge carries a maximum five year sentence and the possession or sale charges carry up to a ten year prison sentence, if convicted. Since so much is at stake, the defendants in this case would be wise to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney to ensure their rights are protected at every step in the process.

Twenty people were arrested last year after a task force with the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating a drug trafficking ring specializing in painkillers. According to reports, at least two of those arrested suspects were from Florida. One of them was a former state trooper while the other was a 30-year-old Transportation Security Administration officer from Port St. Lucie, Florida.

The 30-year-old man recently pleaded guilty in Connecticut after he allegedly accepted $2,500 from a man with the drug trafficking ring, allowing the trafficker to pass through Palm Beach International Airport with thousands of oxycodone pills that were supposedly heading to Connecticut to be distributed. Prosecutors said that the trafficker was working with authorities at the time of this exchange.

A 50-year-old man that once lived in Florida was arrested in Ecuador after becoming the victim of a crime. He was taken into custody by police from Ecuador after he was stopped while driving without any valid identification. Supposedly, he had recently had his wallet and cellphone stolen from his car.

Upon his arrest in Ecuador, police took him to immigration where records showed that he was wanted in the U.S. for jumping bond in 1990. He was scheduled to report to trial for drug trafficking charges that had been brought against him and a dozen other men. They were accused of attempting to smuggle several thousand pounds of cocaine from Colombia to the U.S.

A 36-year-old man from Boca Raton, Florida could have been placed in jail for as long as one year. According to the authorities, the man was conducting a gold buying event at a motel in Snyder County, Pennsylvania and was violating state laws. Pennsylvania's Precious Metals Law ensures that proper dealings occur between buyers and sellers.

Instead of receiving a one-year jail sentence, the man was punished with probation and a $2,500 fine. In addition, he will have to pay the court costs associated with his case.