Local Mayor Gets Busted!

[nugglord_420]

Niagara mayor faces marijuana possession charge
By PETE FRECCHIO,Staff Writer


IRON MOUNTAIN — The mayor of Niagara, Wis., has been charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana.

A two-day jury trial has been scheduled in Dickinson County District Court for Joseph P. Stern, 42, court officials said.

The trial is set to begin on Jan. 7.

Court records obtained by The Daily News indicate that on Oct. 18, Stern was stopped for a safety belt violation in the city of Norway by a trooper from the Iron Mountain State Police Post.

Stern was initially arrested for unlawful use of a license plate, the court complaint said.

The police dispatch operator first advised the state trooper that Stern’s license plate was registered to another vehicle.

The dispatch operator later corrected herself and advised that the license plate was valid.

While a check was being performed on the license plate, the state trooper searched the glove box of the Stern vehicle and found a “marijuana smoking device containing suspected marijuana,” the complaint said.



Stern, who entered a not guilty plea before District Court Judge Michael J. Kusz, told The Daily News he feels that he will be exonerated.

“I believe my Fourth Amendment rights were violated,” Stern said this morning.

The Fourth Amendment guards against unreasonable searches and seizures.

“It is my genuine opinion that a fair and impartial judge will concur that my constitutional rights were truncated,” he said.

“Our legal system presumes innocence. I ask that you defer judgment until final resolution of this matter. I will have no further comment until that time,” Stern said.

Niagara City Administrator Don Novak declined to comment on the matter.

The charge of possession of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and/or a $2,000 fine.

Stern is being represented by attorney Julie LaCost of Iron Mountain.



oh, btw this is the same court that threw away my 4th amendment when I got busted.

[What'sThatSmell]

What a menace to society.

[needforweed420]

would be interesting to see how it turns out for a mayor in the same court that seemingly fucked you(if thats what you meant by "threw away my 4th amendment")

[rubbsled]

i can not believe that having a little pot is a misdemeanor... now THAT is the real crime!!!

[suburbantoker]

Originally Posted by rubbsled

i can not believe that having a little pot is a misdemeanor... now THAT is the real crime!!!

Yeah, IT SHOULD BE A FELONY!!!!!

[nugglord_420]

Originally Posted by needforweed420

would be interesting to see how it turns out for a mayor in the same court that seemingly fucked you(if thats what you meant by "threw away my 4th amendment")

Yeah, we'll see. I'm pretty pissed off about it though. The law is pretty fucked up around here.

I mean for Christ's sakes, I have seen the judge drunk in a ditch before with his 'County Bountys' pulling him out and bringing him home. I'm almost 99% positive with the rest of the area that this guy is a pretty big cokehead as well.

I fucking hate this place.