Recently, up on the Robinson Rancheria Pomo Indian Reservation, police arrested three people who were supposedly behaving suspiciously. The arrests occurred at the casino there, and now three individuals are facing felony charges.
According to reports, police acted in conjunction with officers from the reservation. Though the impetus for suspicion on the part of the police remains unclear, officers conducted a search for two of the accused individuals inside the casino. The suspects had supposedly split up when police took note of them. The third individual was arrested nearby. All three are California residents.
A 35-year-old woman, a 30-year-old man and a 26-year-old man were each charged with felony crimes. Reportedly, it was discovered that the woman had an outstanding federal warrant for allegations of drug trafficking and narcotics possession dating back to a 2010 investigation. Police also searched the backpack of the 30-year-old man and found what would seem, based on reports, to be a small amount of marijuana, along with drug paraphernalia. The 35-year-old and 26-year-old now face federal drug charges. The third man was also arrested for an outstanding felony warrant.
While the outcome of the charges against these individuals remains to be seen, their arrests may serve as points of interest for other Californians facing criminal charges. Keep in mind that the police must have probable cause to conduct a search and seizure. If an individual does not have an outstanding warrant, then it is important for that person to ask exactly what right police have to pursue or search an individual. A claim by police that someone is behaving suspiciously may stand up in court, but it doesn’t have to. Drug charges can carry serious consequences, so Californians facing such charges should be fully aware of their protections under the law.
Source: record-bee.com, “Robinson BIA Police nab three in drug bust,” Nov. 23, 2011