Fort Lauderdale Teen Faces Serious Drug-related Charges

A teen from Fort Lauderdale finds himself facing several criminal charges issued by prosecutors in Palm Beach County following an altercation with law enforcement officers late last month. Police officers were reportedly investigating a tip that a man was doing drugs near the Sandalfoot Square shopping center when they smelled the odor of marijuana and subsequently approached two men, one of whom was 19-year-old Ricardo O’Gorman.

According to officers, O’Gorman walked toward a vehicle and attempted to reach inside, purportedly to hide something. When O’Gorman came back to the officers, they claim he was argumentative and therefore tried to handcuff him. With one handcuff on, he tried to run away, though officers maintained control of him and the handcuffs. Officers claim that O’Gorman then tried to use his free arm to swing punches toward them and, in the process, dropped a plastic bag. Reports indicate that the plastic bag contained marijuana, as well as a smaller baggie full of cocaine. Police used a stun gun to subdue O’Gorman to the ground. Later, as paramedics were getting him ready for transport for medical clearance to be taken to jail, officers state they noticed a gun shoved in his pants.

Charges and potential consequences

O’Gorman was medically cleared for arrest and was held on bail of $4,000. The teen now faces the following charges and potential penalties if convicted of each charge:

• Possession of marijuana — Maximum of one year in jail with a fine up to $1,000.
• Possession of cocaine — Maximum of five years in prison with a fine up to $5,000.
• Carrying a concealed weapon — Maximum of five years in prison with a fine up to $5,000.
• Assault on a law enforcement officer — Maximum of one year in jail with a fine up to $1,000.

These penalties could, of course, increase if the amount of marijuana or cocaine possessed was especially large. In addition to jail time and fines, if convicted of all of the above charges, O’Gorman would have felony convictions on his permanent criminal record, which can have a significantly adverse effect on future opportunities.

Fortunately for people in O’Gorman’s situation, an experienced criminal defense lawyer can help present legal defenses, negotiate with prosecutors, seek alternative sentencing such as probation, or fight to have the case dismissed. For this reason, the assistance of an attorney is imperative if you have been charged with any type of crime in Florida.

An experienced Boca Raton criminal defense attorney can help you

Whether you have received a single traffic ticket or are facing multiple serious criminal charges, the attorneys at the Boca Raton law firm of Lavalle Brown & Ronan can assist you. We have a long track record of successfully handling cases involving drug possession, weapons offenses, DUIs, license suspensions, and much more. We have negotiated favorable plea bargains and fought to get charges completely dismissed for numerous clients, so please do not hesitate to contact our office today at 855-BOCALAW to discuss how we can help you today.

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