Category: Drug Crimes

Minnesota officers will not be charged for offering marijuana

A number of police officers in Minnesota will not face criminal charges after they were accused by activists of giving marijuana to members of the Occupy Minneapolis movement. After a documentary was released of officers allegedly giving drugs to individuals in Peavey Plaza, there were some who were calling for criminal charges to be filed against the officers involved.

Marijuana use on the rise, prescription drug use falling

Minnesotans may be interested to learn that the National Survey on Drug Use and Health has released its results from 2011 and the number of people abusing prescription drugs is the lowest it has been since 2002. Marijuana use, however, is on the rise, with young people. The question is, why is one falling while one is rising? One man believes it is because of a lack of alternative sentencing programs for people arrested of marijuana use.

Richfield man faces life in prison for methamphetamine charge

A 26-year-old Richfield man’s life may be over after he recently pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in federal court. The 26-year-old had supposedly been working with a 40-year-old who had repeatedly sold methamphetamine to undercover police officers. It appears that it was only one time that the 26-year-old had actually sold to officers and he had only done so under the direction of the older man. Because he pled guilty, it is unlikely that we will ever learn if the younger man had been selling these drugs willingly.

Placing offenders in jobs reduces rates of recidivism

It is undeniable that some people make mistakes, and when they have been appropriately punished for their mistakes, they deserve a chance to start over. This applies to people who have made small mistakes and those who have committed drug crimes in Minnesota. After leaving prison, they should be able to find a job in Minneapolis-St. Paul and restart their lives.

26-year-old Minnesota man facing 20 years for drug crimes

Being charged with a serious crime is incredibly difficult, but facing 19 indictments is likely overwhelming, especially for a young person. What is even more difficult is trying to keep a cool head and rationally doing everything one can to clear one’s name. This is why it is so important to work with a strong criminal defense attorney who will help explain what options are available. Failing to do so could lead to a wrong move.

St. Paul men may face life for 3 pounds of methamphetamine

Two 20-something men from St. Paul may be facing a lifetime in prison after police are saying they have found 3 pounds of meth in their homes. When many people in Minnesota hear “life in prison” they are most likely thinking that these two men, 22- and 28-years-old, are running a vast methamphetamine empire across Minnesota and the United States. To find out that each are only facing a single count each of possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute meth, it seems like a ridiculously harsh punishment.

Will Minnesota decriminalize marijuana?

There has been talk in a few cities across the country about partially decriminalizing marijuana for recreational use in an attempt to reduce the number of young adults getting criminal records. Even for something as little as misdemeanor marijuana possession charges, a Minneapolis man or woman could face serious problems. He or she may have to pay a large fine or spend time in jail; regardless of what the punishment is, he or she will now have a criminal record.

Will longer prison sentences help reduce drug crimes?

While many people in Minneapolis may think that longer and more frequent prison sentences will be an important deterrence to anyone convicted of a crime, they would be wrong. According to the PEW Center on the States, longer prison sentences do little curb non-violent offenders from getting in trouble with the law again. That means sending someone who was convicted of marijuana possession to prison for several years isn’t going to help him or her break a drug habit and he or she may just be back before a judge in a few years’ time.

Protestors say police got them high as part of a training program

Police officers in Minneapolis have made it pretty clear that smoking marijuana is illegal and will not be tolerated. While some may debate the importance of cracking down on drug possession, most Minnesotans would not believe that Minneapolis police would actually give marijuana to people and encourage them to smoke it.

Minneapolis cocaine trial comes to an end with a guilty plea

Whenever a public servant is accused of a crime, people are quick to criticize and demonize him or her, even before any evidence that supports a criminal charge is discovered. Because of this intense pressure on public servants to remain perfect in the eyes of public, some people may find it easier to just plead guilty than to face an overly harsh jury.