Late one evening, a man dressed in black approaches a house in a swanky Dallas neighborhood. The mans softly raps on the door and waits. Two minutes later, the man knocks louder. The man waits another two minutes and knocks on the door even louder. The door opens and the man enters. In the house, the man in black enters a study where the homeowner is seated. The homeowner, a man who drives only high-end luxury cars and smokes only the finest cigars, requests money, in cash. The man dressed in black pulls out a wad of $100 bills and counts them. Meanwhile, the butler enters the room holding a black valise. The man dressed in black takes the valise and inspects the contents inside. Satisfied, the man in black motions to the homeowner to count the money. Once counted, the man in black leaves quietly.
After he leaves, the man in black gets into his car and drives to an apartment building. He notices a car following him but is not concerned. When the man pulls up in the apartment building parking lot, he steps out of the car and heads to the back staircase. He heads up to an apartment, uses a code to enter the premises, and goes inside. Once inside, he peers out of the window and notices that the car following him leaves the parking lot.
Now that the coast is clear, the man in black sends a text. A minute later, he receives a text stating “Five minutes.” The man waits.
Approximately five minutes later, three men enter the apartment. The men are wearing jeans and leather jackets. The man in black provides the valise to the men in the leather jackets. The men check the contents of the valise and smile. They pat the man in black on the back.
The following day, the Dallas police narcotics division surround the large house in the swanky Dallas neighborhood in a pre-dawn raid. The police arrest the homeowner and begin a search of the house. Police inspectors are seen leaving the house with several bags.
Informant
The above scenario is a case of a police informant who makes a controlled purchase from a drug dealer. The dealer acts secretly and only allows in people who know the special knock and bring him cash. After the sale, the buyer is followed so he goes to an apartment complex, which seems natural. Once he is in the complex and feels that he is no longer being followed, the buyer gets in touch with the police. The police arrive, in plain clothes and inspect the contents. Satisfied that it contains illegal drugs, the police go to a judge and get a warrant for an arrest.
Often, a defendant will receive an offer to act as a police informant and make a controlled purchase, like in the case above. The next article will expand on whether it makes sense to take the plea deal and its other implements.
Accused of a crime? Speak with the criminal defense firm of Christopher Abel.
(image courtesy of Rene Bohmer)