Was Your Drug-Related Traffic Stop Legal?
Are you an out-of-state driver who has been stopped along I-80 or I-29 in Nebraska? The police target out-of-state drivers traveling through the state whom they suspect to be transporting drugs. Often, elements of these traffic stops are illegal. At Monzón, Guerra & Chipman, Attorneys At Law, we challenge interstate drug traffic stops and defend people charged with drug crimes.
Contact a defense lawyers in Nebraska if you were a victim of a ruse drug stop. Call us at 402-979-8703.
Targeting Out-Of-State Drivers
The police cannot stop a vehicle only because they suspect the driver of transporting drugs. However, they can stop a car for other reasons, like speeding, running a stop sign or missing a taillight. When an officer stops a vehicle for a nondrug-related offense, he or she has clearance to question the driver about suspected drug activity.
Often, the police will ask the driver if he or she is carrying anything illegal in the vehicle. If the driver denies it, the police will proceed by asking to search the vehicle. As a part of this ruse traffic stop, another officer with a drug dog may “just happen” to be in the area and proceed to search the car. What began as a simple traffic stop can spiral into a full-blown drug bust.
Know Your Rights
In Nebraska, drug checkpoint stops are most common in Hamilton County, Buffalo County and Holt County. However, they may occur anywhere along I-80 or I-29 – the “drug pipeline,” as the police call it. If you are pulled over by the police and they don’t arrest you for an offense, you do not have to answer all their questions or consent to a search. The police need probable cause or a warrant to search your vehicle. Additionally, if the officer does not indicate that you are in custody, politely suggest that you need to leave.
If you were targeted by police while traveling through the state and they discovered drugs in your vehicle, contact our law firm as soon as possible. We are skilled at challenging every aspect of a drug stop. We frequently reference United States v. Gault, a U.S. Supreme Court case that addresses issues related to the gathering of information by police.
We Are Ready to Fight for You
Our Lincoln criminal defense attorneys can provide the legal aid you need in an interstate drug trafficking case. At Monzón, Guerra & Chipman, our lawyers defend people facing drug charges based on evidence gathered in drug stops along I-80 or I-29 in Nebraska. Our firm is led by a dedicated legal advocate who has extensive experience on both sides of the law, dating back to 1994. We have litigated hundreds of cases and are ready to go to work for you.
Call one of our attorneys at 402-979-8703 or contact us here to discuss your case in a consultation.
