Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of 1-5 Kilograms of Marijuana, and Distribution of Marijuana Near a School
Rhode Island State Police charged a Providence, RI man with Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Possession of 1-5 Kilograms of Marijuana and Distribution of Marijuana Near a School. These charges stemmed from the police discovering two separate unlawful marijuana grows the man and his wife allegedly maintained both in their primary home and a second home they owned in Providence, RI. Police investigated the man for the unlawful cultivation of marijuana after receiving a tip from a confidential source.
They ultimately obtained a warrant to search the man’s primary home, and thereafter, received consent from his spouse to search the couple’s second home. Overall, police seized more than 70 marijuana plants, more than 10 pounds of usable marijuana, one Porsche sports utility vehicle, one Jeep Wrangler, a host of marijuana trafficking materials and paraphernalia, and more than $10,000.00 in U.S. Currency.
The man retained RI criminal defense lawyer, John L. Calcagni III, to represent him in this serious felony drug case. Attorney Calcagni hit the ground running on his client’s behalf by filing motions before the RI District Court. The ultimate goal was to attack and potentially resolve the case before it was charged in and elevated to the RI Superior Court.
Overall, this strategy was successful. Attorney Calcagni negotiated a resolution that provided for the dismissal of all charges against his client in exchange for the wife’s admission of responsibility to the charged offenses and voluntary forfeiture of some of the seized property. Based on this outcome, the man avoided prosecution, received the return of some of the seized property, and most importantly, was successfully able to avoid adverse immigration consequences to his lawful permanent residence status in the United States.