Fugitive from Florida Reportedly Caught in New York

According to law enforcement authorities, a man who was allegedly involved in a Florida drug ring was found in New York on Staten Island after going into hiding for almost a year. The 40-year-old man had apparently been working in automotive shops while he was a fugitive from his Florida charges.

Law enforcement officers report that the man, two of his brothers and 15 other people were busted for running an oxycodone-selling ring in 2010. He reportedly provided false information to various doctors in order to obtain 10,000 oxycodone pills in a year, which were then sold by the ring.

The man was released on bail with electronic monitoring as a condition. He was set to go to trial in April 2015, but he reportedly cut off his ankle bracelet and fled. His 38-year-old brother was convicted at his trial and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The 40-year-old man was arraigned in New York as a fugitive of justice on Nov. 29. It is unclear if he intends to fight extradition back to Florida.

Drug charges can bring serious consequences, including very lengthy prison sentences. When people are alleged to have trafficked in drugs, the potential penalties that they may face will be much more severe if a conviction is obtained, which is why they might want to retain a criminal defense attorney who is experienced in these matters. An attorney may identify constitutional problems with the manner in which the investigation, search and seizure were conducted. This may result in a successful challenge to the admissibility of evidence in the case and a potential dismissal of the charges.

Source: New York Daily News, “EXCLUSIVE: Cops nab Florida drug fugitive on Staten Island, where he was hiding for more than a year,” John Annese, Dec. 4, 2016