Those charged with illegal drug manufacturing in Iowa face serious consequences, including potential prison time. Police and prosecutors make it a priority to shut down meth labs, marijuana grow houses and similar operations. Fortunately, defenses are available for individuals facing drug manufacturing or cultivation charges.
Drug manufacturing arrests often occur during police raids of suspected drug labs or growing operations. During these raids police and sheriff's deputies typically arrest everyone found on the premises. Sometimes people are arrested who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. These individuals can seek dismissal of the charges if the prosecution is unable to prove they were actually involved in the manufacturing or cultivation activity.
Drug manufacturing charges can also be fought by challenging the legality of the search that led to the arrest. Police must either have a search warrant, or show their search fell into one of the limited exceptions to the warrant requirement, to conduct a search of someone's premises. Search warrants can be challenged if the defense can show that police did not have sufficient probable cause to get the warrant in the first place. If court concludes the drug evidence was obtained in an illegal search and seizure, the prosecution can be barred from using the evidence at trial.
At the law firm of J. Dean Keegan, Eric D. Tindal & Andrea Jaeger Attorneys At Law, we have extensive experience fighting drug charges of all kinds, including drug manufacturing charges. We defend these cases in both state and federal court. We pride ourselves on fighting aggressively for our clients' rights. You can learn more about our drug offenses defense practice on our web page.