Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyers Blog

A call to police regarding a domestic disturbance has landed a Georgia physician in deep trouble for other matters, according to media reports and records of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. The man’s arrest on apparent drug charges occurred when responding police found him allegedly in possession of 81 Oxycodone pills, per the sheriff’s office. The arrest raises concerns because the doctor has been working as a prominent drug abuse specialist for many years in the Atlanta area.

Those concerns are heightened by the fact that, in 1990, the Georgia Medical Board had placed his license on probation for seven years on charges that he diverted painkillers to his own use through prescriptions written to family members. In addition, he is currently the director of Talbott Recovery, a prominent drug abuse treatment facility. The CEO of the facility announced that the doctor had been placed on administrative leave after the arrest.

To add to the ironical nature of the allegations, the accused is a board-certified addiction specialist who has been practicing for 31 years. The specific drug charges are unclear from the media reports, but Oxycodone violations are generally going to be classified as felonies. That fact exposes the accused to not only losing his license but also to a potential prison sentence. Defense counsel will first look to the circumstances surrounding the arrest and will also determine whether the accused had legal possession of the pills.

Any accusation involving drugs could lead to serious consequences. Penalties for a conviction of drug charges in Georgia may range from fines to time in jail.  A recent arrest in Hall County has resulted in numerous charges for three people.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office reports that a 28-year woman and a 24-year-old woman have been arrested regarding drug charges. The women were arrested at a house where several weapons and drugs were reportedly found. The 25-year-old brother of the younger woman is also being sought by police.

Police reportedly found 1 kilogram of heroin as well as 61 kilograms of cocaine in their search. Supposedly, the value of the drugs was estimated at $6.2 million. Two semi-automatic assault rifles were said to have been discovered at the home as well.

Georgia police recently responded to an incident involving two Marietta men. One has been arrested on drug charges. Officers are still searching for another individual who reportedly fled from the scene.

According to police reports, officers responded to a 911 call that had reported a parked car with a man sitting inside, vomiting outside the vehicle. When the police arrived on the scene, they initially spoke with him. However, reports state that the man fled on foot, then got into a van driven by an unidentified woman and left the scene. By police accounts, two officers were almost hit by the van as it left the scene. However, no assault charges were filed after a video review.

Police have apparently identified the man who allegedly fled the scene and report that he is 34 years old. Methamphetamine with an estimated street value of approximately $6,500 was reportedly discovered in the trunk of the car that remained at the scene. The man faces charges of trafficking methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and intent to distributed marijuana. Those charges appear to relate to evidence said to have been seized from a backpack left in the car by the man who ran from the scene. He also faces charges of obstruction or hindering law enforcement.

Criminal charges often result after a search warrant has been executed. Police may enter a home and discover multiple infractions. They often find things beyond what was specified in the warrant. A Georgia man now faces drug charges in a similar situation involving a recent search warrant.

Floyd County Police report that a 27-year old Chickamauga man was arrested following a search of his home. The police executed a search warrant at his residence and found methamphetamine there. Since the quantity of the drug in the house exceeded what they expect to find for someone’s personal use, and packaging materials were also found in the home, police charged the man with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

The man is also charged with felony possession of methamphetamine. According to the police, they also served him with a warrant charging him with felony theft. They allege that the man stole a guitar valued at $1,800 from another home. He has also been charged with two felony charges of probation violation.

Most companies have policies regarding drug use at their places of employment. When those policies are violated, there are consequences — even if that workplace is a prison. A Georgia guard at Baldwin State Prison was recently arrested regarding drug charges of selling heroin. He was also charged with violating the oath of office.

The Commander of the Ocmulgee Drug Task Force stated that members of the task force had purchased heroin from the guard twice. They discovered that he was a prison guard the first time they bought the drugs. They got the appropriate warrants together before they purchased from him the second time. The entire investigation process lasted about a month.

The 30-year old guard was arrested during a 12-hour shift. He was taken from the prison where he works to the county jail. Reports state that the guard, a midlevel corrections officer, had worked since 2010 for the Georgia Department of Corrections. He lived with his parents and drove to work in the same truck he allegedly used for selling the heroin.

Routine license checks are often conducted by law enforcement. In addition to determining possession or validity of licenses, officers also may check for driver impairment, vehicle fitness or drugs. Georgia residents may find themselves facing drug charges or other violations after being stopped at a license check. Several individuals are now under investigation after a recent operation in the state.

Law enforcement officials from the Georgia State Patrol, a local county sheriff’s office and the Georgia Department of Community Supervision worked jointly to conduct a license check on Interstate 75. Drivers were notified about the license check via message boards on the interstate. The checks were conducted for several hours on Jan. 13 for each vehicle that took Exit 13 off I-75.

A group of state troopers, deputies, probation officers and K9 personnel worked together to issue a total of 37 citations and five warnings. Citations were given for suspended licenses, unlicensed drivers, seat belt violations and child restraint violations. Felony arrests were made after officers seized several drugs, including marijuana, Flexeril and Diazopam. Other drug-related objects were also discovered in the operation.