Drug charges can have a severe impact on your personal and professional life, not to mention the danger that you may be convicted and face serious penalties. It is important to bear in mind that it is possible to fall foul of drug possession laws even if you were initially being investigated for another alleged offense. A similar set of events befell a man in South Carolina after he was pulled over for reportedly failing to activate his turn signal.

Officers carried out a traffic stop, asking the young man for his identification. The 23-year-old is reported to have replied that his license had been suspended. To make things worse for him, three hydrocodone pills along with a bag containing 11.7 grams of marijuana were also reported to have been found by the police.

The young man allegedly explained that he had just purchased the substances in question. He also admitted to having already taken one of the pills. He now faces charges relating to marijuana possession, driving under suspension and possession of hydrocodone.

A simple mistake resulted in serious trouble for this young man and it can happen all too easily. His two previous convictions for marijuana possession may have counted against him, as may his license suspension. Nevertheless, there is always hope. If you find yourself in a similar position and conviction seems likely, you may be able to negotiate a plea deal. An attorney can advise you about your options and help you understand what to expect.

Source: The Island Packet, “Rock Hill traffic stop leads to drug bust,” Aug. 18, 2014