On June 15, Illinois authorities raided a home in Alton following a six-month period of continuous complaints from neighbors. Authorities said that multiple people were detained during the raid but only three were taken into custody. Additionally, five children were removed from the residence and were handed over to family members.
The alleged drug house was located near Anex and Edwards Street. The Alton Deputy Police Chief said that the neighbors were vital in giving the police evidence that illegal narcotics were being used and sold at the residence. The three individuals who were taken into custody were charged with felony drug-related offenses, including delivery of meth and marijuana.
If a person is convicted on a drug-related offense, the legal consequences could be severe. Depending on the type of charge, the type of drug and the amount allegedly involved, a person could face a lengthy prison sentence, probation, and steep fines. There are other non-legal consequences a person can experience as well, including the difficulty in obtaining gainful employment after the fact due to a criminal record. He or she may also be unable to apply for school loans.
There are some defense strategies a criminal law attorney may potentially use to reduce the severity of the consequences or have the charges dismissed altogether. For example, an attorney could challenge the search warrant as being overly broad, or the attorney conversely could argue that the search conducted by authorities that led to the seizure of the drugs exceeded the scope of the warrant.
Source: FOX 2 Now, “Alton residents help police bust known drug house“, Erika Tallan, June 15, 2017