Okaloosa County and Walton County Law Enforcement preparing for Spring Breakers…. again.
That’s right. Get ready. Every year, thousands of college students come to the beautiful Florida Panhandle Beaches. They are expecting to have a good time, relax, hang with their friends and perhaps meet a few more.
Unfortunately, of those thousands, literally hundreds leave after being charged with Possession of Alcohol by a Person Under 21 Years Old.
The odds of being charged are that high because police place multiple teams of officers all along the beaches. Their job is to observe and identify anyone who might be drinking, then either arrest or give criminal citations to each person under 21.
And in Florida, consumption doesn’t matter. It’s possession. Even people who aren’t actually consuming the alcohol end up being charged if the police believe that the student was near the alcoholic beverage. That’s called constructive possession of alcohol.
Spring Break And Having Fun Ends Up Being An Experience To Forget
Getting busted for having alcohol might seem like not a huge deal. If you get caught on a college campus in a dorm or apartment, you might only get written up. That sort of thing doesn’t go on your permanent criminal record. It goes in your college file.
But if you are arrested or served with a Notice to Appear here in Florida, it is considered a criminal matter that could be part of your criminal record, in addition to fines, court costs, and other possible criminal sanctions or punishments like losing your driver’s license or student financial aid or scholarships.
A criminal defense attorney can help you minimize the damage of the alcohol possession arrest in Okaloosa County or walton County.
If you need assistance with a citation or arrest, contact Lupella & Rehr for a free evaluation of your situation.
More Information Regarding MIP, Underage Drinking & Fake ID’s
- Underage Drinking Ticket or Citation In Okaloosa or Walton County, FL
- Fake ID Arrest In Okaloosa County & Walton County
- Destin Underage Drinking Crackdown
- Walton County Targeting Underage Drinking
- Difference Between An Arrest & Notice To Appear
- Penalties For Possession Of Alcohol By A Minor
- I Recieved A Piece of Paper After Getting Caught With Alcohol As A Minor – What Do I Need To Do