Any drug crime allegations can bring strict consequences if a person is convicted of the offense. When federal authorities are involved in pursing drug trafficking or other types of federal drug offenses, the stakes can be high. Often, people may believe that federal offenses involve lengthy investigations into wide-spread crime rings covering more than one state.

However, local and state agencies may often share information obtained in local investigations—and probes may arise from circumstances that may seem to occur by happenstance. But, any criminal probe must comply with constitutional principles—and the government has the burden to prove each and every element of whatever offense prosecutors seek to pursue.

Law enforcement says that a call from a northwest Missouri man seeking help against an alleged threat has led to federal drug charges against the man and two other people. Officials say that one of the roommates had threatened the man who sought the assistance of local law enforcement. Deputies in Ray County, Missouri, claim that the man met with law enforcement about a half-mile from his home when his two roommates came into sight.

Authorities chose to chase down the pickup truck that deputies claim was occupied by two people. Law enforcement apparently pulled over the pickup truck and claim that they found a BB gun and drug paraphernalia inside. However, investigators chose to impound the truck saying that it was too messy to conduct a search on the spot.

Authorities went to the residence where Ray County officials say that the caller lived with the two other people. While inside, officers claim that items characterized as drug paraphernalia were visible in the apartment. Authorities claim that some kind of explosive “booby trap” was also in the residence, according to The Associated Press.

Law enforcement says that officers found some kind of recipe for converting pseudoephedrine pills.

The day after rummaging through the residence, authorities say that investigators went through the pickup truck seized the day before. Law enforcement says that additional recipes for methamphetamine, drug-related items and 80,000 pseudoephedrine hydrochloride pills were discovered in the truck.

The three people (including the man authorities say feared for his life) have been charged with federal drug crimes as a result of the allegations. All three face conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. Conspiracy charges under federal law have their own niche—a person accused of conspiracy may suffer the full brunt of the law, even if the allegations are that the conspirator only played a small role in the overall offense.

Source: Belleville News Democrat, “Threat leads to federal drug charges against 3,” Associated Press, July 23, 2013