A 20-year-old man from Newtown Township was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of drugs including: over 2 oz of pot, various painkillers, and Adderall. The man worked for a company that provides the infrastructure for cable and high speed internet. The junction boxes that he must turn on and off are often in public places and he works at night so that the fewest number of internet customers are interrupted.

One night, around 2:30 in the morning, the man was working and parked his car unattended in a Newtown Township park. A police officer saw his parked car and investigated the situation. Allegedly, through the window of the man’s car, the cop used a flashlight and saw a quilted pouch that commonly resembled a bag used to conceal a marijuana pipe. The cop waited, and after our client left the park, the officer followed him and proceeded to pull him over.

It is unlikely for a case like this to qualify for ARD because of the quantity and variety of drugs found in the man’s possession. Despite this, Bucks County criminal defense attorney Michael Fienman represented the man and negotiated his client into the diversionary program. The man was a dedicated worker, paying his own way through college while living with his parents. Had it not been for his good standing – he would not have seen the results that he did. Generally, ARD is a one year program, but our client was given two years. Ultimately, our client saw a successful result and will be eligible for an expungement when he completes the program. Without ARD, the man would have been facing a license suspension, exposure to jail time, and probable loss of employment.

The outcome of an individual case depends on a variety of factors unique to that case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any similar or future case.

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