Emily McCarthy, a bartender at Paddy Barry’s Bar in Quincy, was arrested last week on Massachusetts Drug Charges after she allegedly sold pills during her shift. She was arraigned in Quincy District Court on the charge of Possession with Intent to Distribute Drugs.
According to the Quincy Police Department, an officer working a detail on Hancock Street allegedly observed Emily McCarthy engage in a suspect drug transaction with a truck that had pulled up to the bar. Although the officer apparently admitted not seeing what, specifically, was exchanged, based on his ‘training and experience’, he believed that a drug sale had just occurred.
After the truck left, the officer requested other officers to stop the truck and during questioning about the meeting with McCarthy, the driver, John Saturno of Milton, allegedly told police that he had lent McCarthy $40. The Quincy Police, however, searched the truck and allegedly seized 100 pills of Gabapentin. Meanwhile, Emily McCarthy was approached by officers as well. She was searched and from her person police allegedly seized 12 oxycodone pills.
Based on this information, it is very apparent that officers had no reasonable suspicion or probable cause whatsoever to believe that a drug transaction had occurred. There was therefore no constitutional basis for the officer to justify any stop and search of any of the parties involved. The 4th Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees that ever person be free from warrantless searches and seizures without the requisite level of suspicion.
Accordingly, it appears that all parties who were arrested in this case have tremendously strong issues in support of challenging the Search & Seizure and the Quincy Police Department’s actions in this case. If successfully on such a constitutional challenge to a violation of their rights, all the evidence in this case should be ‘suppressed’ or thrown out.
Boston Criminal Lawyer Lefteris K. Travayiakis is has successfully defended persons charged with Massachusetts Drug Crimes, including Possession With Intent to Distribute Drugs, Distribution of Drugs, and Drug Trafficking, and is available 24/7 for consultation.
To schedule a Free Consultation, Click Here to Contact a Boston Drug Crimes Lawyer or call 617-325-9500.
Attorney Lefteris K. Travayiakis may also be reached at lefteris@travayiakis.com.