hempyninja309
Well-Known Member
Hey everybody. Not too sure if anyone has made a topic on this before but I felt this really needs to be brought up bc of a personal experience I had some time ago. I personally was arrested along interstate 80 in rural Iowa. The bust happened in Adair county which is several hours between Omaha, Nebraska and Des Moines Iowa. What happened was I was traveling east bound on interstate 80 and I saw a group of 3 police officers (2 squad cars and a k-9 SUV) parked in the median in the side of the road. I was going alittle less than the posted speed limit, approx. 68mph in a 70mph speed zone. I did as I had done many times before and just drove casually past the cops in the median not looking over as to not attract any attention. As soon as I passed I looked back in my rear view mirror and saw the SUV hauling ass behind me to catch up with me. I knew he was coming out after me. He caught up with me in the fast lane and rode next to me for about a half mile to a mile side by side. Immediately after doing so, he pulled right behind me and put his lights on. I pulled over right away along the side of the highway. He exited his patrol vehicle and walked up to the passenger side of my car in which I was travelling by myself. I knew right off the bat this was a drug interdiction stop so I took a deep breath and tried my best to remember everything I have ever seen or heard about traffic stops and the 4th amendment. I rolled my window down just enough to slide my ID and registration out and the officer immediately commanded me to roll my window down all the way. I told him that I was not legally obligated to do so and the officer stated that through the little 1" crack he could smell marijuana and ordered me out of the vehicle. I stepped out and met him behind my car and he began to ask me some questions. He asked if I went by my first name and seemed to try to initiate small talk. He asked if I had any weapons on me and I immediately responded by saying "I don't consent to any searches of myself, my vehicle and my belongings". At this point he grabbed me and started patting me down which he explained was for his own safety because I was acting nervous and being non compliant with his requests. I asked why I was being pulled over and the officer said he clocked me going 75mph in a 70. I asked to be shown the radar bc from what my speedometer said I was going no faster than 70mph and the officer declined to do so. He continued to ask me questions ab marijuana and where I was coming from and going and I told him that I choose to invoke my 5th amendment right to remain silent and will not answer any questions and wish to retain an attorney immediately. He placed me in his suv and hella back-up started showing up. A few other troopers came up and tried to pry information out of me but again I said I wished to retain counsel and had nothing to say to them. They then went to search my car, which I had locked upon getting out. They then came back to the SUV and asked me for my keys. I told them I do not consent to any searches and in order for me to willingly hand my keys over I would need to see a search warrant signed by a judge. They took me out of the SUV and placed me under arrest for "Interference with Official Acts". After arresting me they took my keys out of my pockets and began to search. Less than 10 minutes into the search they found a duffle bag in my trunk that contained a decent amount of mary jane. They then came back to the SUV and asked me how much it was. I again had nothing to say and kept my mouth shut. They told me if I gave them 3 names and where I got it from they would dump it all in the ditch and let me be on my way. I again said nothing so I was read my Miranda rights and was transported to jail under the charges of Possession of 2lbs of marijuana, possession of 2lbs with intent to distribute, failure to affix a drug tax stamp, possession of drug paraphernalia, and interference with official acts. I was booked into jail where my bail was set at $50,000 and had to pay $5,000 cash to get out. Was locked up ab 52 hrs before being able to post my bond and be released. I feel the basis for the stop was due to profiling. If you must drive with mj in your car, especially on the highway and you have out of state plates BE CAREFUL!!! LEO's DO NOT play by the rules. And going to jail in another state sucks haha. If anyone has any questions feel free to PM. I just wanted to put this info out there so nobody else has to be a needless victim to the unjust war on drugs aka the war on people. 
haha