Derry residents who are facing charges for drug crimes often face serious penalties. Therefore, they and their criminal defense teams might pursue plea agreements with prosecutors in order to have a guaranteed outcome to the situation. However, the court will have to approve the agreement before it can take effect.
For example, a 34-year-old man was arrested on drug crimes and money laundering. Law enforcement officials executed a search warrant on the apartment the man shared with another person. They found $198,000 in cash and 1.8 kilograms of fentanyl. A safe deposit box rented by the man was also searched, and officials claim to have found $560,000. Because the New Hampshire man was unemployed at the time, officials claimed that the money was proceeds from a drug conspiracy.
A plea deal worked out between the man’s criminal defense team and prosecutors involved him pleading guilty to one count of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl. Both sides agreed to a 210-month period of incarceration. He will also forfeit any property he obtained in connection with the conspiracy. His sentencing is currently scheduled for Nov. 29. At that time, the judge will decide whether to accept the plea agreement.
Other than being accused of drug crimes, waiting for the judge to approve a plea deal could be the most stressful time of the process. Criminal defense counsel and prosecutors often attempt to work out deals that have a high probability of being approved. Derry residents who are facing criminal charges might benefit from exploring the possibility of a plea agreement depending on the circumstances and the evidence prosecutors intend to present to the court.
Source: Bedford, NH Patch, “NH Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Dealing“, Tony Schinella, Aug. 19, 2016