Florida fans of Rose McGowan may be interested to learn that the actress was taken into custody on Nov. 14 on felony charges for possession of a controlled substance. She reportedly turned herself in to authorities in Virginia where she was booked and released on a $5,000 unsecured bond.
The charges stemmed from an incident in early 2017 when some of the actress’s personal belongings were left behind on a flight. The items reportedly contained traces of narcotics. Tests to confirm this allegation came back positive. The arrest warrant was issued on Feb. 1.
McGowan has been extremely vocal when it comes to the sexual harassment allegations that were made against producer Harvey Weinstein. She accused Weinstein of raping her in 1997 at the Sundance Film Festival. McGowan voiced concern in her tweet that the warrant for her arrest was an attempt to silence her.
In Florida, those who are accused of drug crimes may face serious consequences, including jail, probation, expensive fines and, in some cases, the requirement to complete a drug education program. If an accused person has had previous drug convictions, the consequences can be even more severe. However, there are defense strategies a criminal law attorney could use to possibly get the charges dismissed or significantly reduced.
Depending on the circumstances surrounding the case, an attorney could open an independent investigation into the charges. If at any point the attorney finds an instance where authorities failed to follow proper procedures or violated the accused person’s rights, the attorney may attempt to have the charges dismissed. Furthermore, some evidence may be suppressed, meaning it cannot be used against the defendant. If it is the accused person’s first drug charge, the attorney may also try to obtain alternative sentencing.
