January 17, 2014 By Wallin & Klarich

As has been reported by a number of media outlets nationally, L.A. County sheriff’s arrived at Justin Bieber’s Calabasas, Calif. home on Jan. 14 with 11 cop cars and a battering ram. Armed with a search warrant, Bieber’s home was being searched for evidence that could connect the pop star to the crime of felony vandalism.

Bieber’s Friend Arrested for Possession of Cocaine

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During the search of the home, the cops encountered cocaine in “plain sight,” which was later linked to one of Bieber’s house guests and entourage members, Lil Za. Lil Za, whose real name is Xavier Smith, was arrested for suspicion of possession of a controlled substance (HS 11350 (a)) and was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.

This is a serious crime and could lead to Smith doing jail time or, if he is very lucky, having to participate in a lengthy and expensive drug program. If you are arrested for possession of cocaine, you face up to three years in county jail or you can be placed on formal probation. However, you may be able to attend a drug diversion program in order to get the case dismissed.

Was Lil Za the Victim of Illegal Search and Seizure?

Whether what the police did in discovering the drugs during the search was legal or not will depend upon the specific circumstances of this case.

The cocaine was found in “plain sight,” meaning the officers could legally seize the drugs as evidence of a crime. However, it is not known how the police lawfully connected Smith to the cocaine.

Because the drugs were found in Bieber’s home, they could ask the District Attorney’s office to file drug charges against the 19-year-old star. For example, if drugs were found in Bieber’s private bedroom (night stand, private bathroom, etc), the D.A. could try to argue that Justin was in “constructive possession” of these drugs.

How the Southern California Criminal Defense Attorneys at Wallin & Klarich Can Help

If Smith retains an experienced criminal defense lawyer who knows what searches are legal and what searches are unlawful, he will stand a good chance of beating these possession of cocaine charges. The skilled criminal defense attorneys at Wallin & Klarich have over 30 years of experience successfully defending persons accused of drug charges. If you are facing charges of a drug-related crime, we may be able to have the charges reduced or the case dismissed completely.

Wallin & Klarich will continue to follow the Justin Bieber incident along with the hundreds of media outlets who will be covering it. The major difference is that our lawyers know the law of criminal defense cold and can update everyone on what is likely to happen from a legal point of view.

If you are facing possession of cocaine charges or if you believe evidence being used against you may have been seized illegally, call our offices today at (888) 280-6839 for a free phone consultation. We will get through this together.

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