Silver Spring Criminal Defense Law Blog

Be careful what you post on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or any other social media site. Anything you say and any pictures you put up on the internet can become evidence against you in a criminal case.

A criminal charge is a serious matter, and sharing information about it on the internet could result in the loss of your freedom. Be aware of the effects of social media usage to avoid self-incrimination.

One way that law enforcement officials will attempt to make arrests in drug cases is to compile enough evidence to convince a judge to sign a search warrant for a residence. Once the law enforcement officials have the search warrant in hand, they can wait and attempt to serve the warrant at the best possible opportunity to construct a strong case. That appears to be what occurred in nearby Annapolis, as a tactical narcotics team served a warrant at about 6 pm on September 14, reportedly leading to one arrest and the seizure of multiple guns and various drugs.

According to a recent report, the search warrant was served at the residence of a 38-year-old man. Once the law enforcement officials were inside the residence, they allegedly found four handguns, over $9,000, and illegal drugs, including heroin, cocaine, marijuana, hallucinogens and THC extract. The reports indicate that the illegal drugs had an estimated "street value" of nearly $30,000. The suspect is now facing a range of felony drug and weapons charges, and the consequences, upon conviction, could be many years in prison.

Domestic violence is a pretty hot topic in the news these days. It seems as if society is finally beginning to realize just how serious this crime is and, unfortunately, how pervasive it is in America, including in Maryland. This is a good turn of events, but, at the same time, it is important to remember that anyone who is accused of committing domestic assault in Maryland has the constitutional right to defend themselves. Why is this important? Because not every arrest results in a conviction.

Domestic assault in Maryland covers a wide range of behavior. Physical harm, false imprisonment and threats are all different types of behavior that may constitute domestic assault. The actual crime that the defendant faces will depend on the facts of the situation. However, for a domestic violence charge to come into play, one of the key facts must be that the actions occurred between family members or members of the same household.

Most of our readers likely think that a criminal case begins with an arrest. In most cases, this is accurate. But, in other cases, extensive investigations may be occurring behind the scenes before an arrest is ever made. Searches may be conducted and law enforcement officials may conduct interviews with alleged victims and potential suspects. In every criminal case, there are several steps before a conclusion is reached.

For Maryland residents who are the focus of a criminal investigation or who have been arrested for an alleged crime, it is important to be prepared at every step of your criminal case. In the immediate aftermath of an arrest, the most important question isn't necessarily in regard to guilt or innocence - it is whether or not the court will grant the defendant the opportunity to post bond and be released while the case is pending.