Operation Double Down Leads to Drug Arrests

While you were going to work, watching TV, and eating dinner with your family, San Diego law enforcement operatives were taking part in a huge undercover drug sting. Referred to as “Operation Double Down,” it included 50 undercover operations in all. Law enforcement officials went undercover to purchase heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine from suspected drug dealers. The nine-month operation led to the arrest of 49 suspected drug dealers, most of which were located in North County.

Details about the Investigation

Operation Double Down was a follow up to an investigation that took part in the summer of 2016 in the Fallbrook area. Dubbed “Operation El Nino,” it shook up the drug trade in San Diego and changed the landscape.

According to law enforcement, the arrests created a void that other drug dealers started to fill. Operation Double Down began in January with the hopes of dismantling the drug operations that filled the void.

In fact, all of the suspects are connected to the Fallbrook area. It appears they slipped right in immediately following the first operation.

After gathering evidence through the undercover investigation, law enforcement conducted raids in September. The sweep took seven hours to complete, and law enforcement officials uncovered a bounty of evidence, including stolen weapons and drugs. They also found items that had been reported stolen in several residential burglaries. The stolen items included electronics, toys, a truck, and a variety of household items.

Deputies are currently working to return the stolen items to the owners. They are also continuing to build a case against the suspects.

The Charges

Operation Double Down started as a drug investigation, but it turned into something much more. The suspects face a variety of charges, including possessing stolen property, possessing illegal drugs, violating parole, violating probation, resisting arrest, drug sales, burglary, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Not all suspects will be charged on all counts.

The suspects also face a variety of sentencing options. Some could walk away with probation, while others could end up with 25 years in prison. The sentence depends on various factors, including their criminal backgrounds. It also depends on the type of defense they mount. A drug defense attorney might be able to reduce sentences and even help some people walk away. Right now, these are just charges, and no one has been found guilty of a crime.

What to Do If You’re Arrested for a Drug Crime

If you’ve been arrested and charged with a drug crime ranging from carrying a small amount of a substance to trafficking, legal representation is important. Do not offer information to law enforcement, even if you think it will help your case. Instead, ask for a lawyer. Your lawyer will help you proceed.

Drug offenses are serious, but remember, you are innocent until proven guilty. Get a good legal team by your side so you can fight the case. Your defense will mount a case on your behalf and help you obtain the best possible outcome given the evidence.

Kerry L. Armstrong

 

Attorney Kerry Armstrong opened up his law firm in June 2007. Mr. Armstrong attended Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, California, and received his B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University. Kerry L. Armstrong became certified by the State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization for criminal law in August 2020, making him one of the few criminal defense attorneys with a criminal law legal specialization certificate in San Diego County.  Between 2014 – 2019, Mr. Armstrong was selected for inclusion in the California Super Lawyers list, an honor only awarded to 5% of the nation’s attorneys.

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