Middlesex County Criminal Defendant Gets PTI
We represent individuals on serious drug distribution cases all the time. The penalties facing individuals charged with First Degree and Second Degree offenses of this nature are severe. It is therefore very satisfying when you can achieve a good outcome for an individual who is deserving. That is precisely what happened last week for a young man in Middlesex County Superior Court.
The gentlemen was a college student from New Brunswick, NJ, with no prior criminal record. He had occasion to be solicited by an undercover police officer for drugs. The client did not possess drugs but knew who to put the officer in contact with to get them. The lead resulted in a drug buy involving Second Degree weight of cocaine. The client facilitated the transaction but, unbeknown to him, a bust was about to be made, with him and his acquaintance as the defendants. He was charged with Second Degree Distribution and the case was further complicated by the fact that the other person involved was in possession of a firearm. The result of this monumental lapse in judgment was that a college student with no prior dealings with the law whatsoever, was now looking at 5-10 years in prison.
Our client came from a highly educated family filled with success stories, including a doctor and NY District Attorney. Considerable effort was exhausted to assist this young man and we were pleased to not only avoid any jail time but to have him admitted into Pretrial Intervention. If he does what he is supposed to over the next year, he should end up with no criminal record. It is refreshing when you reach this type of result.
Fantastic story. I am facing some similar circumstances myself; however, not related to drugs, but a second degree offense (which is ridiculous) nontheless and am hopefull of getting it dropped.
Thanks for the story,
Mike Capanna.