Can I Be Arrested for a Drug Charge Because of a Post on Social Media?

Over the past few years, people have taken to social media to detail aspects of their personal lives, posting about everything from what they did over the weekend to what they’re eating for dinner.

Unfortunately, sharing so much can sometimes have negative consequences, especially if posts contain information about underage drinking or illegal drugs.

Drug Crimes and Social Media

The short answer is yes — social media posts can have real-world implications and land you in trouble with law enforcement.

You can catch the attention of police if you post:

• Pictures of guns, illegal drugs, or cash.
• Photos or videos advertising when and where you’ll be dealing drugs.
• Statuses or hashtags that reference popular drug slang, indicating that you’re using or selling.

Regardless of your privacy settings, social media posts are often available to everyone, including law enforcement and prosecutors. Across the country, police have used social media to:

• Prove a link between people, such as suspects and accomplices, or suspects and victims.
• Find status updates that show where and when a person was somewhere.
• Find photos indicating that someone was involved in illegal activity, such as the use or sale of drugs.
• Find posts about the sale of marijuana, even in states where it’s legal for recreational use.

Posting After an Arrest

If you’ve already been accused of a crime or arrested, posting on social media can have serious repercussions. This is because anything you post on social media after your arrest can be used against you in a criminal case.

While we advise everyone to be conscious of what they post and never post illegal drug activity online, this is especially important for people with a pending criminal case. Ultimately, we suggest people refrain from posting anything on all social media platforms while facing criminal charges.

If you believe your social media posts could be used against you in a criminal case, do not hesitate to schedule a consultation with Law Office of Kevin Cahill a seasoned drug crime lawyer with a proven track record of success. Particularly because of the Colorado defelonization law, which has important effects on drug charges, getting expert legal advice is very important throughout the state when it comes to combating drug charges throughout the state.