Many of our Fresno readers probably know that in many arrests there are different types of charges that might not seem to be connected. For instance, in a recent incident, two men who were initially being investigated on potential car theft charges actually ended up facing drug charges as well.
According to a report, the chain of events, in this case, began at around 5:30 pm on December 9. The report indicates that officers involved in a surveillance operation watched as the two men were allegedly committing auto theft. The two men took the car in question, a Honda Accord, and drove the vehicle to a residence on East Lewis Avenue.
From there, things got out of control quickly for the two suspects. Several police officers reportedly surrounded the home as a search warrant was secured. It does not appear from the initial reports that the suspects were aware that the officers were stationed outside of the home during this period of time. When the search warrant was executed at approximately 9:00 p.m. the two suspects were facing more trouble than just car theft charges. The search allegedly turned up drugs that were packaged for sale - about 20 pounds of marijuana, according to the reports. Two firearms were also allegedly recovered.
Now, both suspects are facing drug offenses, firearms offenses and, yes, car theft charges as well. As is evident from this incident, in many cases circumstances can spiral out of control rather quickly. When charges aren't really connected, however, like in this case, it becomes very important to analyze the police conduct carefully. A single misstep could lead to the suppression of evidence.