A man behind bars is fighting for his life after his attorney said Broward deputies planted evidence during a sting operation.
Now, the attorney for Dylan Edwards wants his client's charges reduced.
The Broward Sheriff's Office created a real-life scenario played out to catch a crook. But, the defendant's attorney said this was a case of entrapment.
"Egregious law enforcement conduct. Not only are the police manufacturing a crime, they are manufacturing a life sentence," said Joseph Pappacoda, defendant's attorney.
Edwards has a criminal history that includes burglary, a crime where if he was convicted, he could face probation to 18 months behind bars.
But after a BSO armed burglary reverse sting operation, Edwards was slapped with five charges including armed burglary, grand theft with a firearm and possession of a firearm.
If convicted, he could get life in prison.
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Unbeknownst to Edwards, hidden cameras were rolling when he was picked up by a BSO informant and undercover detective, to burglarize a Budgetel Inn in Pompano Beach last year.
He was given a room key and informed that there was money, jewelry and a safe with a gun inside.
"BSO orchestrating the seams to take a criminal off the streets. That's fine but you don't use a sledgehammer to kill a knat," Pappacoda said.
While in court Friday, Pappacoda argued to get the gun charge thrown out, because his client was never in possession of a gun, adding the gun was planted in a safe by authorities.
Judge Bernard Bober appeared perplexed about whether Edwards actually handled the gun.
"I'm just trying to get all the facts," the judge said.
Facts that Edwards said need to come out, because his punishment doesn't fit the crime. A crime his attorney said was manufactured by cops.
"Sometimes the police do get out of control and this is one of those instances," Pappacoda said.
NBC 6 contacted BSO, but the agency does not comment on pending litigation. We also spoke with the state, which did not want to comment.
The judge did not make a decision during Friday's hearing, but a continuance has been scheduled for next month.
