The firm's client “Jonathan” was charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 1st Degree, an A-I felony. As a prior violent felon currently on parole for a Pennsylvania drug conviction, he faced a mandatory minimum of 15 years.
He and a co-defendant “Danny” were arrested following a joint task force investigation involving the NYS Police, DEA, and Suffolk County Police Department. The task force surveilled them from Staten Island into New Jersey, where Danny exited the passenger side of the vehicle, met with a third party, and engaged in a drug transaction for one kilogram of cocaine. Danny returned to the car (driven by Jonathan) and placed the bag of cocaine in the back seat. Law enforcement followed them back to Suffolk County, initiated a traffic stop, recovered the drugs, and arrested both men for acting in concert.
From the very beginning, Jonathan maintained that he was unaware of the transaction and was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Despite our powerful pitch for his release at the indictment arraignment, bail was initially set at $2.5 million cash / $5 million bond. After reviewing the discovery, we renewed our bail application, highlighting the lack of proof, but the court only reduced bail to $1 million cash / $2.5 million bond. We refused to waive time and demanded a speedy jury trial.
The case concluded with a disposition to a misdemeanor, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th Degree, and a sentence of time served. Jonathan served five months in custody and is now home with his family.