Drug Charges Are Worse When Teens Are Present
The popular media tend to depict illicit drug use as a young person’s game. When several local governments in Florida decriminalized recreational use of cannabis for people 21 years old and up, they did so on the assumption that, if you are in your 20s or older, you can make responsible decisions about smoking weed and eating pot brownies. The argument for legalizing hallucinogens for people ages 21 and up works the same way. The courts have come to expect that young people’s experimentation with drugs is more likely to lead them into a life of crime if they get a harsh punishment for a minor, nonviolent drug offense. Teens who get caught with drugs usually go through juvenile court. The youngest adults tend to go through pretrial intervention programs in drug court for a first-time drug possession arrest. Both of these paths enable young defendants to emerge from the interaction with the criminal justice system without a permanent conviction on their records. Meanwhile, if you are a full-grown adult caught with drugs in the presence of minors, the penalties will be worse if you are convicted. If you are facing charges for possessing or selling illegal drugs in the presence of your minor children, contact a Florida drug offenses attorney.
Miami Couple Face Criminal Charges for Selling Drugs From Their Family Home
Peder and Sharon Larsen live in Hialeah with their two daughters; the older daughter is 18 years old, and the younger daughter is 17. Law enforcement began to suspect that Peder was selling drugs out of the family’s house, and they conducted several controlled purchases, where undercover police officers bought drugs from him. Peder Larsen exchanged text messages with the undercover officers about the drugs he was offering for sale, and the parties discussed details of the purchases. In April and May of 2025, police bought methamphetamine, cocaine, and opioids from Larsen at his family’s apartment. Some of the drugs that the officer bought later tested positive for fentanyl in the crime lab.
Peder Larsen, 48, is facing criminal charges for drug trafficking and drug possession with intent to deliver, as well as firearms charges. Sharon Larsen, 47, is facing charges for child endangerment without great bodily harm, because the couple’s 17-year-old daughter was present during some of the transactions. Because of this, and even though she has not yet been convicted, Sharon was suspended from her job as a music teacher in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The court also ordered Peder Larsen to stay away from his younger daughter while the criminal case against him is pending. Sharon Larsen was given bond, but the court ordered Peder Larsen to remain detained without bond.
Contact FL Drug Defense Group About Drug Cases
A Central Florida criminal defense lawyer can help you if you got arrested when an undercover officer tried to buy illegal drugs from you in the presence of your teenaged children. Contact FL Drug Defense Group in Orlando, Florida to discuss your case.
Source:
wsvn.com/news/local/miami-dade/man-accused-of-selling-drugs-out-of-hialeah-apartment-wife-a-miami-dade-teacher-arrested-for-child-abuse-police-say/
