Authorities in Orlando say that a 39-year-old man and his 59-year-old mother were taken into custody on the same day that they claimed a $20,000 lottery jackpot. The man was charged with heroin possession as well as selling drugs within 1,000 yards of a school. His mother was charged with selling heroin within 1,000 yards of a school. A search of the home where the two were staying yielded pills believed to be MDMA, Xanax and Clonazepam.
Police say that there was a third person in the home who was charged with a probation violation for possessing ammunition as a convicted felon and habitual driving on a suspended license. That person was a 34-year-old female who was the son’s girlfriend. Authorities said that the three were booked into Volusia County Branch Jail, and the mother and son made bail and were released. The girlfriend was not allowed to make bail because of the nature of her probation violation.
Police did not mention if money was discovered at any point during their investigation. It was also not clear if the drugs found at the home were purchased before or after winning the lottery game. However, it was revealed that the home search was part of another investigation that had nothing to do with any lottery winnings.
Being found in illegal possession of prescription medication could result in a criminal charge. If convicted, an individual could face many years in prison, a fine and other possible penalties. An attorney may be able to assert that a prescription was valid or that there was no intent to use medication prescribed to someone else. It may also be possible to dispute whether there was probable cause for the search that allowed authorities to find evidence used to charge a defendant.