Sometimes drug cases disappear as quickly as they arise. One moment, you are driving down a country road, and the next, you see blue lights, and then a police K-9 points to a zip-top bag in the center console of your car, and you are being arrested on suspicion of drug possession. You exercise your right to remain silent, you meet with a criminal defense lawyer the next morning, and soon, you find out that the state has elected not to prosecute you. It could be because of insufficient evidence, or it could be simply because there are more important criminal cases to deal with than yours. The criminal justice system does not have infinite resources, and it must prioritize the crimes that pose the greatest danger to society. The chances are low that one person possessing a single dose of illegal drugs will lead to hundreds of deaths, but drug trafficking does present a major danger to society. The evidence of this is painfully visible in southwestern Virginia. The scariest thought that goes through people’s minds when they walk into a crowded place is not “What if someone has a gun?” but “What if no one has Narcan?” Drug trafficking cases do not just vanish into thin air as if it was all a misunderstanding; they can lead to months, if not years, of legal proceedings and, in the worst-case scenario, long prison sentences. If you are being accused of participating in a drug trafficking operation, contact a Clintwood criminal defense lawyer.
The Latest Conviction in a Six-Year Investigation
This month, Alonso Cantu-Cantu became the most recent person convicted as a result of a six-year investigation into a drug trafficking operation that has been bringing methamphetamine and other drugs from Mexico and through several Southern states into southwestern Virginia. As of April 2023, he is one of 26 defendants convicted.
The investigation began with the arrest of street-level dealers, and through them, investigators found out more about the drug trafficking network that includes Cantu-Cantu, 46, and his co-defendants. The defendants would receive shipments of drugs from Mexico in 55-gallon drums. The drugs seized during the operation had a street value of approximately $1.4 million. They include more than four kilograms of methamphetamine, 125 grams of heroin, and 94 grams of cocaine. Police also seized seven illegal firearms from the defendants.
News reports did not indicate whether a sentencing date has been set for Cantu-Cantu, who is a resident of Houston, Texas, or what range of sentences he could receive. Defendants convicted at trial tend to receive longer prison sentences than those who plead guilty, all other factors being equal.
Contact Greg Baker Attorneys at Law PLLC About Drug Trafficking Cases
The lawyers at Greg Baker Attorneys at Law PLLC serve the southwestern Virginia community in criminal defense cases and other areas of the law. Contact Greg Baker Attorneys at Law PLLC in Clintwood, Virginia, to set up a consultation.
Sources
https://www.wdbj7.com/2023/04/04/jury-convicts-major-southwest-virginia-drug-supplier/