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SMUGGLE CONTRABAND INTO COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY (F.S. § 951.22(1)(h)); POSSESSION OF COCAINE (F.S. § 893.13(6)(a))
SMUGGLING CHARGE DISMISSED; COCAINE POSSESSION: PTI
Escambia County, FL
February 20, 2026
Client was charged in Escambia County with two serious felony counts: Smuggling Contraband into a County Detention Facility (F.S. § 951.22(1)(h)) and Possession of Cocaine (F.S. § 893.13(6)(a)), both third-degree felonies carrying up to 5 years in Florida State Prison each. The smuggling charge alleged that the client [REDACTED] introduced a controlled substance into the Escambia County Jail — a charge that carries particular severity because it undermines the security and safety of a correctional institution. Prosecutors in Escambia County treat jail contraband cases aggressively, frequently seeking prison sentences to deter future offenses. The cocaine possession charge compounded the exposure and created a dual-felony drug case that, upon conviction, would have resulted in a permanent felony drug record with devastating consequences for employment, housing, professional licensing, and federal financial aid eligibility. The client — [REDACTED] — faced the prospect of years in state prison and a criminal record that would follow them for the rest of their life.
The defense team mounted a two-pronged strategy targeting each charge separately. On the smuggling count, we challenged the State's ability to prove the [REDACTED] elements of introduction into the facility, including [REDACTED] chain of custody issues and questions about [REDACTED]. On the cocaine possession count, we investigated the circumstances of the [REDACTED] discovery and identified potential [REDACTED] constitutional issues with the manner in which the substance was obtained. Through persistent pretrial advocacy and sustained pressure on the prosecution, we secured the complete dismissal of the smuggling charge via Nolle Prosequi — eliminating the most serious count and the charge that carried the greatest risk of incarceration. The cocaine possession charge was resolved through the client's entry into Pretrial Intervention (PTI), which upon successful completion will result in dismissal of the remaining felony and full eligibility to seal or expunge the record. The client went from facing two felony convictions and potential prison time to a path that leads to zero convictions and a clean record. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; each case depends on its facts and circumstances.