A 53-year-old Los Angeles County man is back in custody in San Joaquin County after a judge ruled he posed a severe danger to society, ordering him held on $300,000 bail following a traffic stop that turned up more than 50 pounds of methamphetamine and about a kilogram of powdered fentanyl. Walter Merritt had initially been released from jail pending charges, but he was returned to police custody after his court appearance on August 11.
According to the Fox40 News report by Katie Chavez, officers stopped Merritt for a traffic violation on July 28 along Interstate 5 through San Joaquin County. The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office says that during the stop, officers searched his vehicle and found an immense shipment of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The California Highway Patrol conducted the stop, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office, which clarified the arresting agency and the specific transit route involved.
Merritt now faces four felony counts of major narcotics offenses and could face up to 20 years in jail on the charges, per the DA’s office. District Attorney Ron Freitas said intercepting 50 pounds of meth and a full kilo of powdered fentanyl saves countless lives in our neighborhoods, and added that the office will work with partners to cut off dangerous supply lines before they exploit San Joaquin County.
Judge Cites Severe Danger to Society
San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Jose set Merritt’s bail at $300,000 and signed a strict Penal Code 1275.1 bail hold, ruling that releasing him would pose a severe danger to society given the sheer volume of drugs seized, the DA’s office said. Under Penal Code 1275.1, a court, prosecutor, or police officer can place a hold on bail if there is probable cause the funds were feloniously derived from illegal activity such as drug trafficking, according to the LA Criminal Defense Law Firm. That shifts the legal burden onto the defendant to prove in court that the money used to post bail comes from legitimate sources, and the hold prevents release even if bond is posted until a judge signs off…