Authorities recently arrested a chemistry student at an Arkansas college for allegedly manufacturing a controlled substance and a variety of other drug crimes. Public safety officers with Hendrix College were reportedly carrying out routine inspections of college-owned apartments when they discovered an alleged drug lab in the suspect’s apartment. Samples of the substances found at the scene turned out to be LSD, DMT and AMT, which are psychedelic drugs. The manufacturing charge is a felony drug charge.
Under Arkansas law, the manufacture of controlled substances is a Class C felony, which calls for incarceration for a period of three to 10 years. If convicted, the defendant would face a mandatory minimum of three years in a state facility. Hendrix police allege that the 21-year-old student was arrested after a prolonged and detailed investigation.
Interestingly, that lengthy investigation did not turn up any evidence that the young man was selling the drugs, as the charges in addition to manufacture only deal with possession and not intent to sell or actual selling. That fact should serve the defendant well as his criminal defense counsel attempts to negotiate a positive plea negotiation for him. One common way to resolve a case with mitigating circumstances is for the defendant and the prosecutor to agree to allow the defendant to enter a guilty plea to a lesser offense that may not contain a mandatory minimum .
That outcome would be fair for a college student whose life is now in a perilously dangerous condition due to facing the prospect of serving hard time in a state prison on a felony drug charge. A seasoned and experienced criminal defense attorney who is familiar with plea bargaining procedures in Arkansas will serve the client best under these circumstances. A positive result that may be able to salvage the man’s future professional aspirations would give the client hope and be a victory for the client in this case.
Source: thv11.com, “Hendrix chemistry student arrested for manufacturing drugs”, Feb. 19, 2016