A Florida woman who was a substitute teacher at a middle school was taken into custody on Dec. 8 after she was accused of selling marijuana to two students. Authorities said that the two students admitted to buying and smoking the drugs from the teacher.
The authorities set up a sting operation to purchase the drugs from the 35-year-old substitute teacher. Afterward, the teacher was taken into custody. She was arrested on two counts of possession of marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school and two counts of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Furthermore, she received two counts of possession of a synthetic drug with intent to sell, two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and two counts of neglect of a child, among other charges. She was being held on a $90,000 bond.
In the state of Florida, even minor drug crimes are aggressively prosecuted and can result in serious legal consequences. Depending on the accusations and charges, a person could face a jail or prison sentence, major fines and a criminal record that could prevent access to gainful employment.
A criminal law attorney may open an independent investigation into the charges in order to put together a strong defense against the accusations. The lawyer could analyze the methods the authorities used to retrieve the evidence and any interrogation tactics that may have been used. If any irregularities are discovered, a judge could dismiss the charges altogether. In some cases, an accused person may be eligible for alternative sentencing that could include diversionary programs, rehabilitation and other options.
