Two Texas men are facing felony drug charges after getting arrested at a traffic stop in La Porte. According to La Porte police, the two men were found to have 17 grams of methamphetamine in the car when they were stopped by police on Oct. 26. Police say that when they pulled over the vehicle, they heard or saw something that gave them probable cause to search the vehicle. After police brought a drug dog to the car, they found 1.7 grams of meth that belonged to the driver, a 36-year-old man.
In addition, police say that the passenger, also a 36-year-old man from Houston, was in possession of a small amount of methamphetamine. Police also found a locked safe inside the vehicle, which they confiscated when they arrested the two men for drug offenses. The first man was charged with a third-degree felony count of possession of a controlled substance while the second man was charged with a state jail felony of possession of a controlled substance, less than 1 gram of methamphetamine.
Police later obtained a search warrant to open the locked safe; they opened it and found another 16 grams of crystal methamphetamine and other items. The two men were taken to jail and held after failing to post bond. The police are now seeking to escalate the drug charges against the first man to a first-degree felony, possession of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver. He could face over 5 years in prison if convicted.
Drug charges can come with severe penalties, including high fines, jail time and a felony criminal record. A criminal defense attorney can work to avoid a conviction by challenging police practices and evidence.
