The majority of these clinics seem to pop up in the Houston area. Thirty-six percent of the state’s 345 pain clinics are located in the city and it seems this is where the largest demands are.

By calling themselves something other than the typical pain clinic, the clinics can fly under the radar, at least for a time, before investigators move in and discover what it is they are really doing.

One facility in Santa Fe, for example, registered itself as a “family practice”. But when investigators looked into the facility, they found it didn’t have any stethoscopes or blood pressure cuffs. The doctor running this clinic was found to be dispensing “hundreds of thousands of highly addictive pills” to drug users.

Another clinic was referred to as an “urgent care clinic”. In this facility, the doctor was also dispensing addictive drugs. Her license was subsequently suspended in January.

These doctors and the pharmacies that work with them, stand to make millions off of the prescription drug trade. Prescription drugs are highly addictive. And whether it’s the addict who gets the prescription or a person working for a trafficker, the doctor and the pharmacy are making a pretty penny.

Many pharmacies are able to do this by concealing how many prescriptions they actually fill for these addictive drugs. One such pharmacy, for example, reported dispensing 95 prescriptions for addictive drugs over a single year period. Digging into their computer systems, investigators uncovered that they had actually dispensed 13,469.

Not everyone who goes to these pain clinics are addicts who need the drugs themselves; some are working for traffickers who will eventually distribute the drugs on the black market. Regardless of who is obtaining them, they are eventually taking lives. In Harris County alone, 188 people have died from prescription overdoses this year alone.

The problem continues to be the wide availability of these drugs and their severe addictive nature. You could be in a car accident, for example, be given prescription pain pills. After just a few weeks you can develop a habit, leading to addiction.

Sometimes it’s not until an addict overdoses or is arrested that they seek help for their addiction. If you are facing criminal drug charges and admit you need help, this could be the right time to seek out treatment. Sometimes, a treatment plan will help you avoid jail time. Contact our offices today to see how we might be able to help.

Possessing less than one gram or even a trace of crack in a crack pipe used to warrant an immediate arrest and a felony charge. But many within the local criminal justice community, police notwithstanding, saw these arrests as a misuse of limited resources and even a failure to the users it locked up.

The policy changed on January 1, 2010. In 2009, there were 10,674 charges for this offense in the DA’s office. In 2010, that number was 5,942. So far in 2011, there are just 5,235. Authorities say the policy has reduced the local jail population by around 400 inmates on any given day, freeing up the limited space for suspects accused of crimes that threaten public safety.

Under the current policy, cops could issue a ticket for paraphernalia if they catch you with a crack pipe. But most officers don’t—they’d rather not deal with the paperwork and the hassle associated with a ticket when the penalty is only $500.

So, why do cops care about the new policy? They see it as a risk to safety and an open-door to future, more serious crimes. They want to use arrests for possession as sort of a preventative measure. They don’t care about the small amounts of drugs, they are worried what a crack-head might do if allowed to roam the streets.

“The residue cases are instrumental in putting people behind bars – people who commit burglary of a motor vehicle, burglary of a habitation, aggravated robberies, strong arm robberies, and they steal your cars,” said vice president of the Harris County Deputies’ Organization Eric Baton.

The problem with this sort of “preventative” arrest is that it isn’t always foolproof and it undermines due process. You can’t arrest someone on the premise that they might commit a serious offense. You can only arrest people for the crime they’ve already committed. A small amount of crack, cocaine, or meth, simply doesn’t warrant a felony charge and the associated penalties. “Justice sometimes means that you look at a certain category of offenses and say ‘These don’t warrant the type of reaction that we’ve been applying to them,’” says Geoffrey Corn, of the South Texas School of Law.

Outside of Harris County, policies are different. Acting in accordance with state law, you can face very serious criminal charges for possessing a small amount of a controlled substance. If you are accused of a criminal drug offense, contact us to talk about your case and what can be done to minimize the consequences.

The Houston Chronicle tells of a man who agreed to transport two saddles in exchange for a free bus ride. He was arrested when he crossed the border. The saddles contained $20,000 of cocaine. Later the charges against him were dropped, but he isn’t the only one.

In El Paso, 5 people were caught under similar circumstances at the same bridge over the Rio Grande within 15 months. One was convicted and two pled guilty to lesser charges. Is there a chance these people were innocent, being victims of a larger operation? Definitely.

But even in cases where the “suspect” maintains his innocence and has a credible story, things don’t always come out in the wash. The saddle-traveler, for instance, had no criminal record and a stable employment history. He was not the typical drug mule. And although the charges against him were dropped, the prosecutor says they aren’t convinced he was set up, merely that the dropped charge “means that at this time additional evidence is necessary to take the case to trial.”

A student, who was found crossing the border with duffle bags full of marijuana, maintains his innocence to this day, as he sits in prison. He refused a plea deal. “I was disappointed in the system,” he said. “I thought it would be like in the movies; they’d investigate and there would be fingerprints and everything.” Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case and the jury convicted him.

Does it happen that innocent people are caught up in the drug trade? Yes. Is it common? No. The vast majority of people accused of trafficking drugs knew about the drugs found in their possession. But their case doesn’t end here.

Regardless of your level of culpability, a defense attorney is there to look out for your best interest and get you the best results possible given the circumstances. If you are charged with a drug crime, you need an advocate on your side. Contact our Texas criminal attorneys today to discuss your case.

Forty-nine structures are being targeted, according to this Dallas Morning News report. Many of them were once family homes but have fallen into disrepair and are now known hot spots for squatters and addicts, according to the report.

The Guard seems to want to be clear that they are not just tearing down old houses, but that all of the structures have a history of drug use or sales. One, a former furniture store, closed down before being overrun by squatters and robbed of all its copper.

Another, likely with a similar story as many on the list of 49, is owned by a man who couldn’t afford to bring it up to code and couldn’t afford to have it tore down. For him, it’s a “win-win” situation.

The National Guard will come in, tear the structures down, and load up all the debris. Where there was once eyesores within the community, there will be a flat cleared lot. While it may make the communities look nicer, people should be cautious to think that clearing the structures will somehow reduce drug crimes.

Drug crimes are driven by demand. Drug demand is driven largely by addiction. And solving drug addiction is much more complex than tearing down a home.

Within the criminal justice system, however, it seems that treatment and actual solutions to drug addiction often take a backseat to punishment. While this isn’t true in all jurisdictions, the same tough-on-crime approach is still used in many areas.

Sure, if you break a law you should be held accountable. But if you are addicted to drugs, who’s to say you won’t go right back out and do it again? Drug addiction makes people take actions they wouldn’t normally take.

If you are facing criminal charges as a result of a drug offense, you might recognize the fact that you need help. In Texas, if you live in a County with more than 200,000 people you will likely have access to a drug court.

While these courts don’t guarantee you won’t spend time in jail, they are more likely to give you the help you need. You may even qualify for a diversion program—avoiding a criminal record altogether.

If you are charged with possession of a controlled substance or even possession with intent to distribute, we may be able to help. Contact our offices today for more information and a free consultation on your case.

According to their report, prescriptions of three specific drugs, known collectively as the “holy trinity” and sometimes the “Houston Cocktail”, have plummeted in Houston and statewide. A total of 6,143 prescriptions for the drugs have been written in Houston since the law change, that’s down from 10,989 during the same period last year.

photo credit: anolobb

The three drugs in question are hydrocodone, alprazolam, and carisoprodol. They were a contributing factor in a large number of prescription drug overdoses and accidental pill deaths.

The new laws apply particularly to clinics who prescribe medications to more than 50% of their patients. They were designed to hurt pill mills while leaving legitimate medical clinics alone. Among the regulations:

• Such clinics must register with the medical board,
• Clinics must be owned by a Texas physician who is there for at least 33% of operating hours,
• The Texas Medical Board has a right to inspect clinics,
• Owners cannot have a felony record or a misdemeanor drug conviction,
• Owners cannot have faced sanctions by agencies involving drugs,
• Clinic staff must be fully trained and qualified, and
• Records must be kept of services rendered.

Houston isn’t the only metro area dealing with the problems of prescription drug fraud and addiction. This same trend is present across Texas and across the country. Cities are scrambling to find ways to control the prescription drug trade without infringing on legitimate medical practices and the legitimate pain management needs of patients.

The bottom line is that if you are using prescription drugs that weren’t prescribed to you, delivering your prescription for others to use, or operating a vehicle while under the influence of a prescription drug, you could face criminal charges.

You don’t have to be a “pill mill” doctor to go down for a prescription drug offense.

Luckily, if you are charged with a drug crime and this is your first offense, you may be lucky enough to qualify for a diversion program. If you’re in Harris County or another of Texas’ heavily populated areas, drug courts can often work to your benefit as well.

The first step in getting a positive outcome in your case is consulting with a criminal defense attorney. Contact our offices today for a free consultation on your case.

photo credit: miss_millions

Often the mail system is easier than using a courier or mule. Drug rings can package their illegal substances within other materials to disguise their smell and their weight. Using dried chili peppers didn’t work as well for one trafficker as he may have thought- three were arrested for conspiracy to mail marijuana this way.

When a package is sent it can be easily tracked online, giving traffickers a greater ability to monitor where their product is at what time. If for some reason it is delayed, the intended recipient can refuse delivery to avoid a potential arrest.

The problem with using the U.S. Postal Service for trafficking drugs is that it immediately becomes a federal crime, even if the drugs don’t cross state lines. However, the Chronicle points out what may already be obvious—that not all these packages originate in Texas, nor do they all reach their final destination here.

With increased enforcement on the Mexican borders traffickers may feel that the mail is their best option. It doesn’t allow for the same mass quantities of drugs to be sent, but there seems to be a slightly lesser chance of it being intercepted.

Because you can’t send a truck full of marijuana through the mail, this is mostly appealing to small time traffickers, but traffickers none the less. Even dealers seeking to expand their operations may dabble in trafficking through the mail.

The lure of drug dealing is about money. For many it’s seen as an easy buck. Dealers don’t think they’ll be the one to get caught. If they did, they probably wouldn’t take the risk.

However, many do get caught. A look at prison populations reveals those who weren’t so good at flying below the radar in regards to their drug enterprise. Rarely, however, is it the big time dealers who get caught. Instead it’s the guys on the corner or the weed man down the street.

It only takes one time, one drug sale to the wrong person to change your life forever. For selling less than one gram of meth you could do up to 2 years in a Texas state jail.

Facing drug charges including delivery or possession with intent to sell is difficult. With the help of a defense attorney, you may be able to get the charges reduced or negotiate a plea bargain.

If you’re facing drug charges contact our attorneys for a free consultation.

According to the Houston Chronicle, tightened border security may have something to do with the jump in smuggling by water. While it isn’t clear why the drugs didn’t make it to their final destination, the result has been a wide variety of interesting packages just showing up on the sand.

South Padre Island saw about 800 pounds of marijuana in one single incident. In Jefferson County and on High Island, recoveries of about 24 kilograms of cocaine occurred. One woman walking the beach in May near Galveston found a black bag containing 37 pounds of cocaine.

Most people comb the beaches looking for ship wreck remnants, pretty shells, or shark teeth. Few expect to find their million dollar treasure in the form of illegal drugs.

According to the Chronicle, trafficking drugs by water is notoriously difficult for officials to put a stop to. The Central and South American to Florida cocaine operations of the eighties and nineties went down in pop culture history, covered by movies and television shows like Miami Vice.

It’s believed these more recent Texas instances are more likely to be from Mexico. Officials have posted signs along beaches warning the typical beachgoers of the possibility of traffickers crossing their paths, though there haven’t been many encounters reported.

Trafficking drugs in this manner, from country to country, is a very serious crime. However, selling it from one neighborhood to the next is as well. For distributing even a small amount of cocaine you could spend years behind bars.

You don’t have to be a kingpin with access to speedboats to face a lengthy prison stint for trafficking drugs. Even for selling more than 4 grams you could face first degree felony charges and spend the remainder of your life in prison.

If this is your first drug charge ever and it doesn’t involve multiple pounds of drugs, there’s a chance you could get off without going to prison. It all depends on the specific circumstances of your case. Contact me today to discuss what your charges mean and what the potential penalties are.

According to  KFDM the investigation leading up to the arrests included cooperation between several agencies including the DEA, ICE, Houston Police, Galveston Police, Texas Rangers, Department of Public Safety, and Sheriff’s Departments in Jefferson, Chambers, and Orange county. Although all 28 will be facing federal charges, these cases could have just as easily been filed in state court.

The ring involved distribution of meth and cocaine. According to the Houston Chronicle, the parties were distributing the drugs without discrimination—to urban areas and suburban communities alike. “It’s like they were delivering pizzas” said DEA agent Bill Furay.

The most unusual aspect of the case is said to be the diversity within it. It’s pretty common to see drug rings stay pretty close to one ethnic or racial background. This group, however, crossed racial lines and language barriers alike.

The group was said to include Mexican-Americans, African-Americans, white Americans, Mexicans, Hondurans, and one each Pakistani and Israeli citizens. Not all are here legally, however, and will face deportation after resolution of their criminal charges.

Society often thinks of drug dealers as the down trodden members of society, existing in dark alleys and on corners in the roughest neighborhoods. Often, though they are reluctant to admit it, people pin these stereotypes on ethnic minorities. Stories like this show just how diverse criminal behavior is.

It doesn’t matter where you live, where you were born, or what color your skin is—you too could be involved in serious drug crimes.

Facing charges like distribution of a controlled substance can be life-changing and seriously stressful. You can go to prison for two years for distributing less than a single gram of cocaine.  Three grams and you can face up to 20 years. With these kinds of penalties it makes no sense to go it alone.

If you are facing charges of manufacturing or distributing a controlled substance, please contact us for help. Let’s discuss the evidence they have against you and how we can defend you against the charges.

As mentioned on the widely read blog andrewsullivan.com, a woman notes that her son was busted for possession of marijuana in Houston. At the time, the sentence (no jail time, probation) may have seemed like no big deal. But at some later point, her son was rejected for a job at WalMart due to the criminal conviction.

With online background checks costing next to nothing, and becoming a routing business practice for employers, landlords, volunteer organizations, or anyone else, criminal records are easy to find.

Technically, all criminal records are public records, and it is perfectly plausible that your name and criminal charge could show up in a google search, if not now, than sometime in the future.

Of course, not all criminal charges can be beaten, even by the best criminal defense lawyers. But many can. It is absolutely worth looking into it, and exploring every possible option to avoid a criminal charge.

If a lawyer tells you that for a fee of a couple thousand dollars, you have a 50/50 chance of not living the rest of your life as a convicted criminal, it is something you should seriously consider.

Especially for a young person, with a bright future ahead. The consequences of any conviction on a permanent record could end up being treated even more harshly in the future.

But the only time you can do anything about it is before agreeing to plead guilty in criminal court.

According to the Dallas Morning News, five pharmacy technicians and one supervising pharmacist lost their jobs in connection with prescription drug theft. Many of them are also faced charges of being involved in organized crime.

At least 370,000 tablets of various prescription drugs were unaccounted for at various branches of Parkland over a specific period of time in 2007. These drugs include Hydrocodone and Valium among others. The arrested technicians reportedly admit to stealing the drugs from their employer and selling them to street dealers.

Some are saying the entire investigation was mishandled because of the death of the lead investigator. The case sat in limbo for some years. The terminated pharmacist states “The Parkland police mishandled the whole thing.”

Despite his firing, this pharmacist did not face any charges and currently works for another pharmacy location.

More than likely, if we were discussing 370,000 units of heroin the case would have never fallen through the cracks. Despite growing problems with prescription drug abuse, cases involving it are often swept under the rug, whether intentionally or not.

However, being criminally charged with a prescription drug offense is no light matter. Most prescription drugs are considered a Penalty Group 3 substance with serious felony charges even just for possession. If you are caught with these drugs and you don’t have a legitimate prescription, you can face charges.

These substances are also becoming the drugs of choice for many teens. More than adults, teens minimize the dangers of prescription drugs, believing that they are somehow safer than common street drugs.

Whether you are facing charges of possession or if your child has been caught with prescription drugs, I can help. Contact me to discuss your case and to receive some free legal advice.