When A Noise Complaint Goes Wrong

How easy is it to get arrested for criminal charges in Georgia?

It’s as simple as the title implies.

Let us set the scene:

You are in your last year of college and have been invited to your high school BFF's birthday party at their house, the party has been organized by their significant other. It is a beautiful summer evening and there is a cool breeze flowing through the air.

As you arrive at your friends house you can hear the music from within even before you exit your car, you know this is going to be a great party. You grab the gift and the case of beer from your passenger seat and head in to join in the celebrations. As you enter the home you are greeted by the familiar aromas that you are accustomed to from fruity shots, a little stale beer, and the faint scent of some sticky-icky marijuana.

There isn't anything out of the ordinary going on for this crowd, hell it's your same crowd since you were 15 with a sprinkling of new faces added here, and a missing some there. As the night goes on the party picks up steam, you start noticing people's inhibitions lowering and the drinking and drugs become a little heavier to accompany the music which is now blasting. There is a knock at the door, you are a good friend and are still fairly sober so you go to greet the newest guests to the party.

You open the door and your heart stops for an instant, its the police. As you ask them what the problem is you forget about everything happening behind you that is in plain site to the law enforcement officers now positioned half way in the threshold. As you try to down play the situation and seem as compliant as a choir boy but that is when the officers articulate their probable cause for entering the home and investigating the occurrences at that party.

The next thing that you know back-up has arrived and you and your friends are in handcuffs facing a hard road fighting anything from misdemeanor charges such as contributing to the delinquency of a minor to felony narcotics charges.

IN RECENT NEWS

You may have caught the local news reporting on a situation where a noise complaint led to the seizure of a slew of drugs and guns in Savannah, GA. A personal gathering involving loud music lead to the arrest of three individuals who are now facing serious drug charges.

Now, there is no telling whether or not one or more of those individuals was just a visitor at the wrong place and at the wrong time. When Law Enforcement gets involved in any kind of complaint, any observations they make during the investigation of a call or a complaint can lead to larger investigations where greater charges may be alleged. Whether that is initiated based upon something they see, or even something that they smell, they will call upon their right to investigate further. In the case of the Savannah arrests, officers noted what they observed to be narcotics, after an investigation, three individuals left that apartment in handcuffs.

CHARGES BASED ON CIRCUMSTANCES

While every situation is unique and every set of criminal charges is based upon the actual circumstances surrounding the arrest, in a situation like the above, you can very well find yourself facing conspiracy charges along with any number of drug charges and firearm charges. It is advisable that you seek an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately to provide you with the best defense and the best chance of clearing your name. A criminal arrest permanently imbued on your record will follow you for life and this is something you want to avoid and fight head-on. So what might these charges look like?

DRUG CHARGES

In the state of Georgia, drug possession charges fall under felony charges. Each type of possession based on quantity and drug (marijuana not included) is governed by a schedule. Based on the schedule applied to the possession, you can face anywhere from two years to fifteen years in prison. Any additional charges are incremental and you can face sentences as long as 20 or 30 years.

FIREARM CHARGES

Further compounding your drug charges, if you are found in possession of an illegal firearm, that is also considered a felony in the State of Georgia. If you are convicted of possession of the firearm, you can face up to five years in addition to the earlier mentioned drug charges. Again, these charges can be incremental based on circumstance.

CONSPIRACY CHARGES

If you are convicted of Conspiracy to commit a crime in Georgia, in the case of the Felony mentioned above, you can face anywhere from 1-10 years. Sentencing, fines, and penalties are based on the circumstances surrounding the case and no two cases are alike. This blog does not constitute legal advice but provides a basic outline of information. For in-depth legal advice, it is best to consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney.

Charged with a Cobb County Noise Complaint?

If you are facing charges in Cobb County, then you need an experienced criminal defense attorney near you. Cobb Criminal Defense will provide the Marietta defense attorney that you need to fight for your freedom and protect your rights. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!