Drug Trafficking Charges Dismissed After Judge Says Search Not Warranted

By Brian Cole

Published on January 10, 2007

Based on the questionable nature of the officer's search, Judge Richard J. Chin granted the motion by the defense lawyer of Marc LeBoeuf, 25, to suppress evidence if a trial was to take place. Ten days later, Chin dismissed the case all-together.

On June 18, a state police trooper pulled LeBoeuf over for suspected motor vehicle violations. According to the trooper’s testimony, LeBoeuf’s license plate bracket partially obscured the word “Massachusetts,” and the light illuminating the plate was dirty and dimmed.

In his ruling, Chin stated there was no probable cause to pull LeBoeuf over for traffic violations.

When pulled over, LeBoeuf was found to have an estimated $16,000 of cocaine and $20,930 in cash in the back seat of his car.

LeBoeuf’s defense attorney, Patrick T. Walsh, said the crux of the entire case was the license plate issue and whether the search was reasonable. It wasn’t, he said.

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