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Possession Charges?

Discussion in 'Apprentice Marijuana Consumption' started by 703, May 9, 2009.

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  1. #1 703, May 9, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 6, 2009
    Hey GC,

    Yesterday, I was camping at a state park in Maryland (I live in Virginia), and after a day of fishing, my buddy and I decided to go smoke a few joints. We were concerned about smoking in our own site, so we went to an empty campsite across the road. At about 12AM, I was lighting the second joint (tossed the first roach, was never found) when two people started walking towards us from the middle of the campsite. We figured it was just other campers, but then they pulled out those massive Maglights that cops always have and we knew we were fucked.

    The two officers were on foot and asked us what we were doing. I tried to hide the joint in my pocket, and said "Just smoking cigarettes" (We had been all night,) the officer then notices a joint that I had behind my ear (Stupid as shit, I know) and claims to have the right to search me.

    I told him that my friend wasn't smoking at all and they got the probobly 1.5 grams that I had on me as well as the 2 joints and rolling paper. They cuffed me and my friend, who is a minor, and started getting our information and everything. At no point did the officers use first names, introduce themselves, or say what agency we were from. The lead officer told me that he would let me go tonight and he would be calling me in the next few weeks to set up a court date/meeting time. He mentioned possession charges and possible paraphanelia charges as well. After that, they took my shit and left, didn't give me a paper or anything. I asked for his phone number so that I could contact him and he refused to give it to me.

    I turned 18 last week, so I am fairly young and have had no prior run ins with the police. Unfortunately, I just got into college and I fear they may revoke my acceptance if they hear about these charges. The other issue is that I was a Boy Scout and turned in my application for Eagle Scout (BIIIIGGGGG honor) the day before I turned 18, and if these charges show up before I am approved, I'm fucked.

    So far I haven't told my parents (I live with them) and I have gotten some consultation from lawyers who say it will probobly just be some fees and community service.

    Anyways, my questions are as follows:

    I live in VA, this place is like 1/1.5 hours away in MD, so its a massive hassle, where will the court be and what sort of travelling will I have to do for community service/jail/fees and shit.

    As a first offense, what do you guys think will happen?

    Rolling paper isn't paraphanelia I read, true?



    Fuck the police. I'm going to have to pay for all of this shit on my own behind my parent's backs or else I'm screwed. If they find out about this, I can't afford college, and if my college finds out about this, well I'm just screwed anyways.

    Any advice/answers/comments?


    EDIT: I left a message for the police (I think the right ones) asking for their numbers and whatnot

    I also talked to some lawyers about free consultation and they said its not that big of a deal, but I should refrain from talking to police.

    Another question, did any of you receive TONS of mail from law firms when you got charged?


    UPDATE:

    Today is the 3 week anniversary of the incident. I have yet to hear anything from the police so I'm pretty sure I've gotten off. Still going to be paranoid for the next few weeks because I've had a few friends who have had court dates show up 1-2 months later.

    UPDATE 2:

    Busted... being charged with Possession and Paraphernalia. Lawyer is making me do CC and NA meetings to hopefully have the charges dropped. Bummer...

    UPDATE 3:

    Had my court date last week. All charges were dropped on the grounds that one of the officers took the joint from behind m ear after I claimed we were smoking cigarettes without probable cause. That and my step-mom has connects and got some fancy drug psychologist to write a letter in my favor. Anyways, no charges, getting the fact that I was even in court expunged as we speak. Yay.
     
  2. #2 Laughing Grass, May 9, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: May 9, 2009
    Sorry, I didnt read the entire thing. I got busted a few years ago in a sting operation at my local target I worked at. I was the electronics stocker for the night time and I used to steal all kinds of shit and flip it on the streets for cash....anyways I got busted and I did get a shit ton of lawyers mailing me and calling me. This was also my first and only offence so I was able to get community service and get the charges exponged from my record. Im sure this is probably going to be the same thing for you. Since you were charged in maryland your going to have to go to whatever court is in the county you got busted in. If it was montgomery county like where I am from your going to have to go to court in either silver spring or rockville downtown. I ended up going to the court in silver spring so idk where you will go.
     
  3. #3 703, May 9, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: May 9, 2009
    I doubt someone would dress up in ranger uniforms, take down my info, and cuff me just for a 20 sac or so.

    Wish I'd eaten em, but had no idea they would be cops.

    Community service and shit aren't an issue, its having my parents freak and not pay for college that has me worried.


    Fucccckkkk I wish I hadn't left a message
     
  4. #4 Laughing Grass, May 9, 2009
    read my edited post, i didnt read your entire post...sorry
     
  5. #5 703, May 9, 2009
    Is there some way I can have my address changed or a non-home phone number be the one they call?
     
  6. #6 Laughing Grass, May 9, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: May 9, 2009
    No they use the address that is on the police report I believe. Im not a lawyer by any means but I dont think its going to be a big deal...i was scared shitless like you...dont worry about it man...they will just give you community service picking up trash and shit on the side of the road like they did with me and they will exponge it also. You have the right to a lawyer so if I were you i'de get right on that. The more time your lawyer has to prepare for the case the better. Just go to the public defenders office.

    EDIT: On a side note, community service was how I found my main dealer hahaha.
     
  7. #7 703, May 9, 2009
    Haha, thats cool, but I think I'll be out of the "game" for awhile after this.

    I personally don't care too much about the charges, more so that I could have my Eagle Scout application denied, my parents won't pay for college, or I'll be unaccepted.
     
  8. #8 Laughing Grass, May 9, 2009
    Yeah that really sucks man....i feel for ya. Good Luck with everything, hopefully it will all workout for the best in the end.
     
  9. #9 SpongePaul, May 9, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: May 9, 2009
    sadly if you are convicted of mere possesion, you may be unable to get any federally backe deducation loans/grants. This sounds sketchy though, no id form the cops, not giving you thier names, or what dept they worked for. If you ever do get a call or papers, be sure to report the officers behavior, as it was out of line, and possibly unlawful. they MUST ID THEMSELVES AS COPS, and they must give you thier name and badge number if asked, no execptions. if you did not sign anyhting or get any papers, you might have been jacked, they prolly kept it and nothing will happen, but i would make a stink if ever charged. turn them in to the IA unit. and if you do get charged consult an attorney, the charges may be thrown out due to the way in which you were busted, no rights read, possible unlawful search and siezure.
     
  10. #10 njoobu, May 9, 2009
    Last edited: May 9, 2009
    deleted
     
  11. #11 703, May 9, 2009
    I had a joint behind my ear. That's reasonable suspicion (SP?). They then padded me down for the rest of my stash.

    I don't recall them introducing themselves as officers, and they definitely never gave themselves names, they referred to each other as "the other officer" and shit.

    They read my Miranda rights as I was cuffed and forced over to a park bench.

    I honestly don't care about community service and shit, its the fact that my parents will kick me out and refuse to pay for college when the court papers and lawyers start coming in.

    I spoke to a free legal advisor and he recommended I just drop it until it comes to me, but I fucking stupidly called the station... fuck.

    I'll fucking say 12401258 hail marys if I was simply robbed. Honestly though, who has an entire cop getup and cuffs just to steal weed?
     
  12. #12 SpongePaul, May 9, 2009
    ok so the mirandized you, well then they did have the right to search your person. and the joint behind your ear was probable cause to stop you. best o luck. still sounds sketchy, if they proceed, get a lawyer familiar with drug laws, try norml.org to get a MJ specalist.
     
  13. #13 703, May 9, 2009
    Called and spoke to a few. General concencus was just see what happens.

    I was never formally charged or anything (I think?) so I can't get a lawyer quite yet.
     
  14. #14 Destroyer1, May 9, 2009
    sup 703?hey man i know how ya feel i been locked up once for a year for some cocain that was in my buddies car i was driving him home cause he was drunk as hell got pulled over and charged for his coke.well anyway if those pigs didnt take you to jail right then and there then ill tell you they just took your bud if you didnt get charged with anything at that time and go to jail and see the judge the next morning after sitting in the drunk tank alnight haveing bail set and released this is the process that would have happened to you if you had been charged you would have had a court date by now,then just stop thinking about it they aint gonna do shit they just wanted your bud if this did happen then your 18 you aint gotta tell your parents nothin at all give em a cell # and set up a p.o box real quick for your court papers to come to but if these things didnt happen then dont worry man its a misdemenor anyway i think like 100 fine in ohio let me know if you did go to jail that night it wasnt in your post well all the best.
     
  15. #15 kishou, May 9, 2009

    then get a job....
     
  16. #16 Laughing Grass, May 9, 2009
    This is exactly what I was thinking myself was that these were not cops. When I was caught I was taken to seven locks which is where they finger print you and serve you your papers, then you see the commish about your bail or if they will let you out on your own recognicence (cant spell for shit). They fingerprinted me, took my picture, served me some papers with a court date, and let me go. If they called each other "the other cop" and didnt have name tags on their uniforms that seems like u just got robbed.....the only thing that makes me think it might be legit is the lawyer letters you are getting because I got a shit ton of those when I was charged.
     
  17. #17 ThePhantom, May 9, 2009
    For this specifically, yes, I did get tons of mail. Your name goes in to the system when you are charged, so I'm sure whenever they see a new case, they send out mail standard. I got my lawyer directly from NORML, heh.
     
  18. #18 703, May 10, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: May 10, 2009
    Let me rephrase that, I'm attending UC Boulder, which comes out to around 40k a year. I didn't apply to many other schools so if I don't go to Boulder, I will never go to college.

    I heard from a lawyer that it was best to drop it, but how would I go about changing my address to a PO box?
     
  19. #19 Hamham, May 10, 2009
    Bro. I live in the same exact area as you. I've probably run into the same cops as you! The cops there really can be dicks. But it usually doesn't end up bad.

    Also, and most importantly, the cop not giving you anything, and not giving you his number really makes me think he was just blowing smoke, cops there have done the exact thing to me. Never got a call.

    But I've had about 3 friends on probation for things as small as having a bong, but I've had many more friends who've done WAY worse things and have had the charges dropped.

    It's really a roll of the dice where we are. I think when they see your age, record, and that you're a boy scout they'll go pretty easy on you. Hopefully they'll drop the charges!
     
  20. #20 Sm0kedank420, May 10, 2009
    sounds pretty sketchy to me man.

    howwever i was charged with possesion not too long ago.
    the cops found the bud, cuffed us and took us straight to jail.

    i got an attourney which was expensive as hell. and just got put on 6 months probation with 50hrs community service.
    when i went to orientation a kid beside me had the exaact same charge but got 15 months probation with 100hrs community service.

    so deff get a lawyer if this is legit.
    but like i said i seems pretty sketch but if it is legit you WILL be getting mail efore too long.
     
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