Drugs Still Big Business in Dallas

drug crime blog

On January 26, 2022, KDFW-TV reported that the Dallas Police Department along with local and federal partners announced a successful violent crime bust that targeted a Dallas gang. There were nearly two dozen arrests, and police seized cash, drugs, and weapons.

Hamilton Park off Central Expressway and Forest Lane have a troubled history with crime. “That stops now. These street corners will be clean,” said Eduardo A. Chavez with the DEA Dallas Field Division. “We back the community in Hamilton Park, and Hamilton Park is forgotten no more.”

“This 19-count indictment and arrests are a 15-month investigation targeting the ‘Hamilton Park Posse,’ a known gang in Dallas dedicated to drug distribution, violence, and senseless intimidation in the Hamilton Park neighborhood for far too long,” Chavez said.

The operation dubbed ‘Operation Shutdown Corner’ included the Dallas, Grand Prairie, and Garland police departments. More than 200 pounds of cocaine, marijuana, and fentanyl were seized. Police also recovered dozens of firearms and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash.

“The dope sold in Hamilton Park did not have an imaginary boundary in the one-and-a-half miles of Hamilton Park or even in the city limits of Dallas,” Chavez said. “Drug trafficking and violence affect every shred of where you may live.”

Dallas police say the gang is responsible for more than 70 violent crimes since 2019. The crimes range from assault to robbery and murder. The charges laid out in the 19-count indictment are mostly drugs, money laundering, and weapons charges.

WFAA-TV reported that members of the Dallas Police Department reassured residents of the city’s historic Hamilton Park neighborhood Monday that their presence would continue to be felt in the tight-knit community. The department held a debriefing event in the Hamilton Park United Methodist Church’s parking lot, allowing citizens to ask questions about the drug bust that netted 21 arrests, 37 guns, an estimated $420k in assets, and over 200 pounds of drugs. 

Hamilton Park sits on the southeast side of Interstate 635 and U.S. 75. The neighborhood was formed in the 1950s for Black families, who faced housing discrimination across the city, including the bombings of their homes in South Dallas.  

In areas where the alleged gang operated, 71 violent crimes have been reported since 2019, Dallas Assistant Police Chief Michael Igo said at the news conference. Of those crimes, 31 were for aggravated assault, 15 for robbery, and four for murder.

A few days later, NBCDFW reported that DART passengers contending with a major bus route overhaul were also voicing concerns about crime. New figures from the transit agency indicated a surge in crime on buses, trains, and stations.

A report to the DART Board of Directors showed Group A Offenses increased 28 percent in 2021 compared with the year before. Arrests rose 44 percent.

Group A Offenses include Assault, Robbery, Homicide, Human Trafficking, Burglary, Vandalism, Sex Offenses, and Drug Crimes. There were 314 total offenses and 259 total arrests. DART also wrote more citations, including fare evasion and increased trespass warnings.

Spokesman Gordon Shattles said DART has extended the offer of free rides through February 7 to help people get used to the new bus routes. So, no one is asked to get off trains for now.

DART has a police force of nearly 200 people and more are being added. There were 221 DART employees currently out sick or in quarantine for exposure to COVID-19. Some of them are DART police officers.

On February 22, 2022, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that two men were left dead during an ambush and robbery in which a 17-year-old opened fire on a car on the morning of February 9 on a Fort Worth street after his accomplice fired at the vehicle. Fort Worth police said the fatal shooting resulted from a robbery during a drug deal. 

The alleged victims had been lured to the area after receiving a Snapchat message that a woman wanted to buy four grams of marijuana for $40. When the woman walked up to the car and saw the marijuana, she allegedly texted her accomplices, who were hiding in an alley. 

One of the accomplices was the 17-year-old boy. At some point, at least three suspects approached the car. 

The teen heard shooting, and he then started shooting at the car. Killed in the shooting were a 21-year-old man and an 18-year-old man, and their deaths have been ruled homicides. 

The 17-year-old boy was taken into custody this month, and he was being held at the Tarrant County Juvenile Detention Center in Fort Worth. It was unclear why he is not charged as an adult, which is allowed under Texas state law for 17-year-olds. 

WFAA also reported that two different pharmacy locations in Dallas were robbed on February 19, 2022, and police said they believe the two incidents were related. Police said prescription drugs were stolen in both robberies.

According to police, the first incident happened around 5:17 a.m. at a CVS Pharmacy in the 11660 block of Preston Road. Police said two suspects forced an employee to give them items before they fled.

The second robbery happened around 40 minutes later at a Walgreens in the 3400 block of McKinney Avenue. Police said a suspect, again, forced an employee to give them prescription drugs. The suspect then fled.

Defending Against Drug Crimes in Dallas County

Law enforcement agencies around Dallas and many surrounding areas of Texas are regularly investigating different drug crimes of all sizes. It can be somewhat easy for certain people to get caught up in drug crimes when they may not have had any idea of what was actually occurring.

Possession of a controlled substance is undoubtedly the most common criminal offense people face in the Dallas area, and you need to understand the long-term consequences that even a minor drug possession charge can have for you. It is important to try and get these kinds of charges dismissed when possible to avoid potential complications later on in your life.

Simple drug possession offenses can always become more complicated when there is an alleged intent to sell the drug in question. Police officers are often eager to try and charge people with intent to sell, and these kinds of criminal charges are typically based on such considerations as the amount of the drug.

When a person possesses more of a drug than is needed for personal use, it will generally lead to intent to sell charges. These kinds of stories turn misdemeanors into felonies.

Some people involved in drug operations could face possible drug conspiracy charges, and these offenses can be much more likely to lead to felony charges that carry years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines. Drug trafficking and drug manufacturing are also two major criminal charges in drug cases that indicate large amounts of drugs having been involved.

You will want to make sure that you are working with an attorney who understands Texas Drug Courts and is capable of negotiating the most favorable possible agreement to resolve your case. Alleged offenders with no prior criminal records may be more likely to get their criminal charges thrown out when an arrest was made under more dubious circumstances or especially in cases of constructive possession.

Again, law enforcement generally prefers cases of actual possession of drugs when controlled substances are found in the actual custody of a person, such as in their hands or their pockets. Constructive possession is far more difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt because it involves drugs being found in locations to which multiple people might have had access.

Many of the cases highlighted in this blog post involved multiple people being charged in connection with different drug crimes, and alleged offenders need to remember their rights at all times because police officers are not going to explain them. You will want to be sure that you immediately get yourself an experienced criminal defense lawyer for help understanding everything that you are able to do when accused of any kind of drug crime in Dallas.

Find a Drug Crimes Defense Attorney in Dallas, TX | Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy

If you were arrested in Dallas, Garland, Irving, or another community in Dallas County for an alleged drug crime, you are going to want to get yourself legal counsel right away. The Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy can fight to possibly get your criminal charges reduced or completely dismissed. 

We will be able to take a long and hard look at your drug case to determine the strongest possible defenses in court. Our lawyers can negotiate with a prosecutor to help you hopefully avoid trial and instead receive a plea agreement.

Our firm has been handling all kinds of drug cases in North Texas for more than two decades. We will be able to discuss all of the options available to you when you call (972) 233-5700 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

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