Southern California Drug 'warrants/arrests/etc' with alot of confusion

[Jillibean24]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
I am writing on behalf of a good friend of mine who had some very interesting things happen to him over the past couple of months.

My friend, he does speed from time to time, but could never under any circumstances be considered a manufacturer, transporter or dealer of any kind. He went to pick up some for the next week or so, but had a wierd feeling. it wasnt the normal meeting place, and a car of a lady he had met once pulled right behind him so he couldnt back out. He got that wierd feeling that he was being set up. Turns out, he was. As soon as the handoff was made, he was followed by an unmarked car (actually a white truck), that eventually pulled him off the road.No warrant was shown, no real ID was shown he was just saying that he was an undercover narcotics task force. The man id' himself as an undercover and said he had been watching my friend for a while now. Instead of taking him into custody, he took the bag of dope my friend had just purchased, his cell phone and all of his money and credit cards. My friend was not issued a reciept for any of these things.
A few weeks-to a month later, my friends house was raided by SB county sherriffs dept with a warrant to search premises, but all they could find was minimal and couldnt be used as evidence that he was a so called dealer. They took everything paraphanelia wise, except for one item. A weed pipe that means the world to a friend of ours. She doesnt even smoke weed anymore, but it was a gift from her boyfriend and she would have been very upset had it been confinscated. This time they gave him a reciept for the things they took, money included, along with a laptop computer and other things of that nature.
Finally, i was laying in bed and got a text from this friend that said 'cops at my door'. i jumped out of bed and hauled ass over to his house to see a loma linda sherrif car sitting, watching the premises. i did not know that my friend was in the back seat of the car.Apparantly they had a warrant for his arrest which he did not know about until this day. he did what he was taught and refused to speak until there was an attorney present. When i researched his arrest in the system, it said that his bail was to be set at 75,000 dollars. I set up an inmate account, added funds to his dialing out, etc, figuring he would be there a while. a few hours later he was released on his own recognisence.
This all happened because they found the head honcho in this so called drug ring and offered him a deal if he ratted out the lower people, and my friend got caught up in it.Im not sure of the legalities of the first seizure on the side of the road, but have no questions as to the warrants. What im wondering is, why arrest him and set bail if they were going to release him a few hours later with a court date? And what happens to the things that were seized the first time, without any ID or warrant or anything of the sort?
This has messed with his life for 3 months now, and we know exactly who is the one who is keeping it going...the narc calls from time to time(never to be answered) to try and play dumb. Why isnt the county going for the narc, when he is way more heavily involved in distribution than my friend. He doesnt distribute except to himself.What do they think they are going to gain by going after the underling who just buys enough to subside for a week or two at a time?CDW? Any opinions on this one?id like to know where the county or state stands on this...

 

[CdwJava]

My friend, he does speed from time to time, but could never under any circumstances be considered a manufacturer, transporter or dealer of any kind. He went to pick up some for the next week or so, but had a wierd feeling.

Technically, that can be charged as transporting as well as possession.

Turns out, he was. As soon as the handoff was made, he was followed by an unmarked car (actually a white truck), that eventually pulled him off the road.No warrant was shown,

No warrant was required for a crime in progress. They witnessed the sale and they made the bust.

The man id' himself as an undercover and said he had been watching my friend for a while now. Instead of taking him into custody, he took the bag of dope my friend had just purchased, his cell phone and all of his money and credit cards. My friend was not issued a reciept for any of these things.

Odd that he was not given a receipt for those things or arrested. I suspect they are hoping to use him as a C.I. of some kind, though they should have given him something for the property. Now, they CAN choose to "long form" the matter and forward the case to the DA rather than arrest, so that might explain the lack of an arrest.

He can call and ask for a receipt or ask to speak to someone about how to get his items back.

A few weeks-to a month later, my friends house was raided by SB county sherriffs dept with a warrant to search premises, but all they could find was minimal and couldnt be used as evidence that he was a so called dealer.

Really? How do you know they can't use what they found as part of a dealing case? Do you know what they need to make such a case?

They took everything paraphanelia wise, except for one item. A weed pipe that means the world to a friend of ours. She doesnt even smoke weed anymore, but it was a gift from her boyfriend and she would have been very upset had it been confinscated.

Marijuana pipes are not a crime in CA, that might explain why they did not take it.

Apparantly they had a warrant for his arrest which he did not know about until this day.

They don't have to tell him they have a warrant until they slap the cuffs on him.

What im wondering is, why arrest him and set bail if they were going to release him a few hours later with a court date? And what happens to the things that were seized the first time, without any ID or warrant or anything of the sort?

There are any number of reasons why he was released without demanding bail. I can guess but that's all it would be - speculation. As for the items from the first time, he can call the task force and ask about getting the items back. Though, it might be better to have his attorney do it.

This has messed with his life for 3 months now, and we know exactly who is the one who is keeping it going...the narc calls from time to time(never to be answered) to try and play dumb. Why isnt the county going for the narc, when he is way more heavily involved in distribution than my friend.

They probably ARE going after him, too. If they got your friend, they know about his connection.

- carl