Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

marble falls

(57,063 posts)
Sat Aug 15, 2015, 09:21 PM Aug 2015

Louisiana Drug Task Force Spent 11 Months to Nail Some Teens for Pot


Louisiana Drug Task Force Spent 11 Months to Nail Some Teens for Pot

Elite drug task forces are supposed to be taking out major drug dealers. But all this Louisiana squad could find was a handful of kids.
By Matt Agorist / The Free Thought Project
August 12, 2015

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/louisiana-drug-task-force-spent-eleven-months-nail-teens-pot

Terrebonne Parish, LA — The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force, Houma Police Department, State Police Narcotics Division and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, created an elite task force whose combined efforts over an 11-month period helped to bring down one of the country’s most dangerous criminal elements.

Or so the war on drugs would like you to believe.
ADVERTISING


What actually took place was a huge waste of taxpayer money and law enforcement resources in an attempt to bust a group of kids who were suspected of selling a plant, which is legal in 5 states, to willing customers.

Below is a breakdown of the charges and the laughable and embarrassingly tiny amount of drugs the teens were carrying.

— Austin Ferrill, 19, two counts of marijuana distribution, two counts of principal to marijuana distribution, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was charged with obstruction of justice and a turn signal violation. Agents found .80 grams of marijuana, 10 capsules of synthetic MDMA and 11 hydrocodone pills in Ferrill’s bedroom. His bond is $205,000.

For less than a single gram of pot, 10 hits of ecstasy, and pills that are in half of the medicine cabinets across the country, this young man’s life is now ruined. There were no victims.

— Cameron Clement, 19, one count of marijuana distribution. His bond is $35,000.

No drugs were found on Clement, but as he was associated with the other teens, he was kidnapped and caged and his bond set at a ridiculously high amount.

— Jude Boudreaux, 19, one count of marijuana distribution. Agents found 20 grams of high-grade marijuana in his vehicle. His bond is $50,000.

As for Mr. Boudreaux, he had an entire 20 grams. This criminal dared to carry over a half ounce of a plant that is legal in 5 states, and for this “crime,” his bail was also set ridiculously high.

It should also be noted that officials refer to the marijuana as “high-grade” in an attempt to justify wasting tens of thousands of dollars in local taxpayer money to take it off the street. In the meantime, however, someone in Colorado can walk into their local dispensary and purchase this “high-grade” marijuana, show it to a cop outside, and face no consequences.



— Gage Fontana, 19, distribution and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. His bond is $60,000.

Perhaps Fontana did not have enough weed for the cops to measure as the weight of his “high-grade” marijuana wasn’t listed on the arrest report. Still, his bail was set at a staggering $60K.

— Dylan Brewer, 17, principal to marijuana. He was apprehended at 3902 Southdown Mandalay Road, and his bond is $35,000.

And lastly, is Mr. Brewer who facing down a $35,000 bail for the preposterously vague charge of “principal to marijuana.”

Thanks to the brave men and women in the various associations participating in this asinine sting operation, these “drug kingpins” have been robbed of their future opportunity for selling a product to a willing customer.

Just in the past week, we’ve seen police officers vaginally rape a woman in public in search of marijuana. We’ve seen a Memphis cop killed as he tried to arrest someone for a small amount of pot. We’ve also seen a teenager shot and killed for simply driving a female friend to get some marijuana.

Enough is enough.

There is no such thing as winning this war on drugs as its entire existence is a failure. One day humanity will look back at the innocent lives ruined and taken in the state’s immoral conquest to control our bodies and wonder how the hell we didn’t stop this madness sooner.
5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Louisiana Drug Task Force Spent 11 Months to Nail Some Teens for Pot (Original Post) marble falls Aug 2015 OP
What a waste of law enforcement time and effort CanonRay Aug 2015 #1
And all those private prisons. marble falls Aug 2015 #2
Legalize, and stop this nonsense Hydra Aug 2015 #3
apparently the majority of inmates in Louisiana are incarcerated in for-profit prisons... mike_c Aug 2015 #4
Seriously - 1 out of 14????? Where are the Feds???????? marble falls Aug 2015 #5

CanonRay

(14,094 posts)
1. What a waste of law enforcement time and effort
Sat Aug 15, 2015, 09:47 PM
Aug 2015

All those highly paid "professionals" chasing teenagers. So much for the "war" on drugs.

Hydra

(14,459 posts)
3. Legalize, and stop this nonsense
Sat Aug 15, 2015, 11:14 PM
Aug 2015

We have HUGE problems to tackle all over, and we're wasting money on people to do this.

mike_c

(36,279 posts)
4. apparently the majority of inmates in Louisiana are incarcerated in for-profit prisons...
Sun Aug 16, 2015, 04:33 PM
Aug 2015

...many of which are run as businesses by parish sheriffs. That should help make these arrests and ridiculously high bonds make more sense. Louisiana also has the highest incarceration rate in the U.S. Keeping those prisons full is evidently how several parish sheriffs fund their operations and give patronage jobs to constituents. Needless to say, the high incarceration rate falls mainly on black citizens. One in every 14 black citizens of Louisiana is incarcerated. The incarceration rate for whites, 1 in every 86 white citizens, is nonetheless the highest in the U.S.

http://www.decodedscience.com/louisiana-prison-for-profit-high-incarceration-rate/44966

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Cannabis»Louisiana Drug Task Force...