The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival ("Coachella") is an annual outdoor music festival in Indio, in Riverside County, CA.  Named after its location in the Coachella Valley (in the Colorado Desert), the event is held at the Empire Polo Club.  It's even where 2Pac came back to life for an amazing (hologram) performance in 2012.

Coachella draws musical acts from different genres all across the world.  With everything from independent rock and hip hop to top 40 hits, you're sure to find something you like.  There are nearly 200 performers each year and nearly 100,000 spectators a day for the two-weekend event.

With such large crowds and the prevalence of drugs like ecstacy/molly, LSD and others at music festivals, law enforcement in Indio has begun to use targeted enforcement to boost numbers and revenue.  This year, over 160 arrests were made at Coachella, mostly drug related. 

What are the Police Doing?
The way that the police are catching most people at Coachella is by having their officers walk around the festival in plain clothes.  Officers may simply be looking around to see if they see anyone holding, using or selling narcotics in plain sight, listening for people talking about using/selling drugs.  They also go a step further, often engaging people in conversations and asking to buy drugs.  Because of these varied tactics, law enforcement officers arrest a lot of concert goers for drug possession, possession for sale or sale/furnish of narcotics.  More information about drug crimes.

What Happens When I'm Arrested?
For most minor offenses, Indio police set up a booking tent at the venue.  This way, people are booked on-site, given a notice to appear at a future court date and often allowed right back into the venue.  The police will make a brief report about what they observed, what they found, and any statements you made.  They will forward that report to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office for prosecution.  Cases are handled at Riverside County's Larson Justice Center in Indio.  At your first court date, you will be asked to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges and your attorney can receive and review the evidence against you, and asses any possible defenses or motions on your behalf.

How Having an Attorney Can Help
Having an attorney represent you gives you the best chance of avoiding a conviction.  Many Coachella drug charges are eligible for a diversion program, where participation in a drug treatment program can help you avoid a conviction.  Additionally, defenses like entrapment might protect you from serious sales or possession for sale charges.

Additionally, if your charge was a misdemeanor, an attorney can appear on your behalf.  Coachella draws music fans from all over the country, and it might be difficult and costly for you to return to Indio on your scheduled court date.

If you have been arrested at, or on your way to/from Coachella, contact the Law Offices of Nicholas Loncar for a free consultation.  We can discuss the facts of your case, what defenses you might have available and how to best proceed with your Riverside County criminal case.

Best,

Nicholas M. Loncar, Esq. 
Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney
t: 213-375-3775 | f: 213-375-3099
Mobile: 323-803-4352 
[email protected]
1200 Wilshire Blvd | Suite 406
Los Angeles, CA | 90017
www.iDefendLosAngeles.com

By Nicholas Loncar