Nebraska residents who are arrested for suspected drug crimes may find themselves in such a situation due to some unusual circumstances. These cases, despite how they may be reported in the local media, can often be very complex. Many fine details could potentially change a citizen's, judge's or jury member's view of the defendant's actual guilt or innocence.
In one recent case, a man who had been an investigator with the Nebraska State Patrol is now facing the potential of spending 24 years in prison if he is convicted of federal felony charges including allegations that he stole and intended to distribute five different Schedule II drugs. According to sources, he was first investigated after his wife made a phone call alleging that he had ammunition stored in their basement that belonged to the state patrol. It is important to note that she made this call on the day that the man filed for a divorce.
The defendant has insisted that he had no knowledge of the ammunition in his home. Upon a search of the home, officers are said to have found drugs that the man is now accused of having stolen instead of destroying them or entering them as evidence in other cases. In total, he is charged with stealing more than 1,800 doses of prescription drugs including morphine sulphate and fentanyl.
When a person has been charged with a serious crime and accused of impropriety by a potentially unhappy spouse, talking with an attorney in Nebraska may be a good way of learning about the defense options available.
Source: Omaha World-Herald, "Former State Patrol investigator accused of stealing prescription drugs, controlled substances," Andrew Nelson, November 16, 2017