By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
A 26-year-old man caught with marijuana and Percocet pills must pay $700 to avoid spending four months behind bars.
Police arrested Valentino Thompson after they found one gram of Indian hemp and 13 amphetamine tablets on him on September 6.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of simple possession when he appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney.
The court was told that around 7.19pm on the day in question, officers on mobile patrol near Shrimp Road noticed Thompson driving suspiciously in a white Nissan Cube. The officers then asked the accused to stop and informed him that he would be searched for dangerous drugs and firearms.
During the investigation, one of the officers noticed that Thompson had placed a silver foil wrap in his mouth. When it was retrieved and examined, they discovered one gram of marijuana in it. The prosecution said a search of Thompson’s groin area also led to the discovery of a plastic bag with 30 Percocet pills. He was subsequently arrested and taken to a nearby station. In an interview with officers there he admitted the offence and claimed he had the pills for his personal use to relieve his leg pain.
Yesterday, Thompson was represented by attorney Wendawn Frazier. She told the magistrate that her client pleaded guilty at his first opportunity because he did not want to waste the court’s time. She also said that Thompson was using the pills because he had two open wounds on his legs.
After listening to her plea in mitigation, Magistrate McKinney accepted Thompson’s guilty plea and fined him $200 or one month in prison for the gram of marijuana and another $500 or four months on remand for the tablets.
Meanwhile, Jakota Johnson was arrested after officers found 13 silver foil wraps of suspected marijuana stashed in a chip bag in his pants pockets on September 6.
He also pleaded guilty to simple drug possession and was fined $500 or three months in prison.
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