Facts of the Case:
My client, a 22-year-old on vacation in St. Petersburg, was arrested and charged with Inhalation/Ingestion/Possession of a Harmful Chemical Substance, a third-degree felony. The incident put his entire career in jeopardy. This was his first offense, and a felony conviction would have been a devastating blow to his future.
The Solution – A Proactive Approach:
With the right strategy, I hoped to prevent a permanent stain on my client’s record. Instead of waiting for the State Attorney’s Office to file charges, we immediately took a proactive approach. We wanted to demonstrate to the State that this was an isolated incident for a young man who otherwise had a bright future and was remorseful for his actions.
I had my client take a series of deliberate steps to show his commitment to making things right. First, he completed a substance abuse evaluation which, as expected, showed no indication of a substance abuse problem. We also obtained a clean drug screen, further supporting the finding from the evaluation. To round out our case, we secured several powerful character reference letters from his employers, which spoke volumes about his character, work ethic, and reputation.
We compiled all of this information into a compelling package and presented it to the State Attorney’s Office during the investigative period, before they even had a chance to formally file charges.
The Outcome:
Our swift and proactive strategy paid off. After reviewing the materials we provided, the State Attorney’s Office agreed to enter a No Information, meaning the charge was dismissed. This was a tremendous victory, as it meant my client avoided a felony record altogether.
With the case dismissed, my client was able to expunge this charge, ensuring his future remained bright and his career would not be negatively impacted by this isolated mistake. We were incredibly happy with the result, and my client was able to return to his life without ever having to set foot in court for this charge.
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