As Fullerton drug charge criminal defense attorneys, we have written in the past about the charges against Allan James Waters. Waters is a former Orange County sheriff's deputy who got into legal trouble after he caused two DUI accidents within the same hour. As the Orange County Register reported Nov. 1, Waters was under the influence of the prescription drugs Hydrocodone and Zolpidem during those crashes, and he now faces new charges related to prescription drugs. Specifically, he is accused of "doctor shopping," to get prescriptions for Oxycodone and Opana. He's also accused of selling fake cocaine to a friend in exchange for prescription drugs and money, in addition to the DUI.
On March 1, 2010, Waters rear-ended a car stopped at a stoplight. No one was hurt, and after interviewing both drivers, deputies from the Orange County Sheriff's Department released their colleague. Within an hour of his release, Waters crashed into a Toyota in Dana Point, knocking it into a planter and then into opposing lanes of traffic. The victim, a woman of 78, eventually needed surgery for back problems. The California Highway Patrol responded to that accident and took Waters into custody after he showed signs of intoxication. A later investigation showed Waters went to eight doctors within a year, lying to them to get prescriptions. As a result, he faces nine counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, as well as two counts of selling a substance in lieu of cocaine. With the charge for DUI causing great bodily injury, he could get up to 13 years and four months in prison.
This story originally caught our eye because of the hints of improper behavior by the Sheriff's Department (for which Waters no longer works). But our Pomona narcotics criminal defense lawyers also like that it shows that prescription drugs can be just as illegal as street drugs. In this case, Waters had prescriptions obtained through fraud -- and that fraud accounts for the bulk of the charges. Possessing prescription drugs without a valid prescription is also a crime. And of course, driving under the influence of certain drugs is illegal, even if you have a valid, non-fraudulent prescription for those drugs. As a result of these events, Waters now faces a lot of time in prison, even though all of his drugs were semi-legally obtained. In fact, Waters might (depending on the drug) be facing less time if his drug of choice had been illegal, since street drug dealers don't keep prescription records.
Howard Law, P.C. defends Californians accused of all types of drug crimes, from simple possession to DUI to large-scale sales. That includes crimes involving prescription drugs, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and any other drug the government has "controlled" with criminal laws. Drug cases can be riddled with civil rights violations and mistakes by police officers eager to make a "bust," especially in larger cases. Whenever we find these flaws, our Laguna Hills drug crimes criminal defense attorneys can use them to break down the case against our client, forcing prosecutors to drop the charges or reduce them to lesser charges. We undertake a complete investigation when serious charges are brought against our clients, because we know a lot is at stake -- in cases involving a lot of drugs or federal charges, decades in prison are possible.
Howard Law, P.C. offers free, confidential consultations, so you can tell us your story and learn about our experience at no further risk. To learn more or set up a free consultation, send us a message online or call toll-free at 1-800-872-5925 today.
