Legal Question in Criminal Law in Texas

in texas if a friend gets her house raided and goes to jail and you move into her house while she is in jail and the cops raid her house again can they charge you for whatever they find even if it wasnt yours and was just not found during the first raid?

My good good friend was arrested when her house got searched by the local police, they found lots of cash and meth and pot and that sort of stuff. Before she went to SAFp she asked my boyfriend and me to move into her house and rent it from her while she was away so all her things were not stolen when she got out, we agreed. We knew we would have a little trouble being where we moved into and the things she was charged with, however we do not partake in that kind of "recreational" activity so we saw no harm in helping out our friend. We live in a small town and there is always alot of talk we've heard everything from she's setting us up because the cops didnt get everything when they busted her weve heard that the chief of police is trying to catch us and watching us. The chief of police even advised my boyfriend's dad not to move to her house with us, why? we do not know but my question is if there was something left in the house after she got busted, how would it effect us if they dicided to come in on us, since our friend was busted for a large amount and they assume being her friend meant we also did what she did. Would they charge us for whatever is left here (if anything) if we did not claim it, would the charges hold in court. I am just reevaluating my agreement with my friend and need to know the legalities of it all. thanks.


Asked on 3/05/12, 10:49 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

Keith Engelke Law Office of S. Keith Engelke

Possession of contraband is attributed to the owner/occupant of the house where it is found. If the police search the house, find contraband, you and your friend (and your boyfriend's dad) could be charged with possession.

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Answered on 3/06/12, 6:20 am


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