Multiple law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, raided homes in Onawa and Whiting on Oct. 11. Armed with eight separate search warrants, agents searched the homes of suspected drug dealers and users and confiscated drug paraphernalia, weapons, marijuana and methamphetamine.
The sheriff of Monona County said that so far the investigation has resulted in the arrest of 16 people. The suspects’ ages ranged from 18 to 55 and included men and women. The court set the bond at $30,000 for one 55-year-old man charged with possessing a controlled substance near a school and possession of methamphetamine. As a previously convicted felon, he also faces charges for possessing a firearm as a felon.
Bonds for the other 15 suspects fell between $300 and $11,000. Most of the people arrested during the investigation allegedly possessed marijuana, methamphetamine or both. Authorities added charges of drug paraphernalia to most of the suspects. Some stand accused of intending to deliver drugs.
When police arrest a person on drug charges, an attorney could take steps to protect the defendant’s rights within the criminal justice system. The defendant could listen to advice from an attorney before answering questions or entering a plea in court. An attorney might also strive to get some or all charges dismissed if the police violated the defendant’s constitutional rights when seizing materials. In other situations, an attorney might succeed in eliminating a portion of the charges by negotiating a plea bargain with the prosecutor.
Source: Glove Gazette, “16 arrested in Iowa drug bust; more arrests expected“, Alex Boisjolie, Oct. 13, 2017
