Located along Arizona’s western border with California, LaPaz County, Arizona is a smaller less populated county than others, though its Superior Court handles a disproportionality high number of criminal cases on charges of transportation of marijuana for sale. Interstate 10 runs right though LaPaz county and the town of Quartzsite, where a number of arrests are made by either Quartzsite Police, the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), or United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). There are often random checkpoints set up along I-10, often by Border Patrol, to look for quantities of marijuana being transported or smuggled into Arizona from California.
WHEN DID MARIJUANA AND LAPAZ COUNTY BECOME A THING
No one ever said that it did. But let’s face some facts, folks. With California legalizing recreational marijuana use in January 2018, and Arizona still limiting legal use of marijuana to those with medical marijuana cards, it’s simply an issue of supply and demand. Some additional points:
- Bringing marijuana into Arizona, via LaPaz county, from California is cheaper;
- California marijuana brought into Arizona, via LaPaz County, is often better as it is the most direct path for outdoor strains grown in Humboldt County, Mendocino, and other area of California known for “horticultural excellence.”
WHY TO PEOPLE GET ARRESTED FOR TRANSPORTATION OF SALE OF MARIJUANA IN LAPAZ COUNTY, ARIZONA
First things first. I am merely writing a blog and not encourage anyone to break the law, to possess marijuana for sale, or to transport marijuana for sale in violation of Arizona state or federal law. I am simply sharing my experiences as a Phoenix criminal defense attorney who has practiced for 22 years and who has successfully represented and defended a number of clients who were charged in LaPaz County Arizona with transportation of marijuana for sale.
This having been said and understood, people do dumb things when they possess marijuana for sale in Arizona. I’m sure they do dumb things elsewhere, though my focus today is the dumb things they do in LaPaz County. I’ve surveyed a number of past clients and here are some of the tips they have passed along in regard to transportation of marijuana for sale:
- Don’t drive a rental car;
- If you do drive a rental car, make sure your name is on the rental agreement;
- Don’t have dark tinted windows on your car;
- Don’t speed;
- Don’t drink and drive;
- Don’t give the police consent to search – tell the officer to get a dog;
- If you do get questioned, ask for a lawyer and don’t make any statements.
I GOT ARRESTED FOR TRANSPORATION FOR SALE OF MARIJUANA IN LAPAZ COUNTY ARIZONA – WHAT DO I DO?
Breathe. The first thing to say is that I have always found the LaPaz County Attorney’s Office to be very decent to work with. Often times when I can identify valid search and seizure issues, they are receptive to hearing them. Drug cases in LaPaz County, and along other interstate freeways in Phoenix, can hinge on the validity of the traffic stop. Prosecutors know that.
The next thing you need to do is hire the right criminal defense attorney. Don’t be swayed by high pressure sales jobs or criminal defense attorneys who quote you an absurdly low fee for the case. Transportation of marijuana for sale cases involve a lot of work by an experienced attorney if you are to get a good result. Any lawyer who quotes a fee that seems too low will usually not do the work on the case and quickly pressure you to plead guilty. Remember that in Arizona, possession of marijuana involving more than two pounds carries mandatory prison time if convicted at trial.
If you have been charged with transportation of marijuana for sale in LaPaz County, or any other county in Arizona, and want to hire a Phoenix criminal defense attorney for being one of the most aggressive and effective lawyers in the state, contact my office to set up a consultation. We generally meet with people during the business week during business hours. Scheduling can be done by calling (602) 663-9100. Please make sure to bring all of your paperwork (charging documents, release orders, etc.) to the meeting so that we can best assist you and begin defending your case.