Answer Addiction

Tag: meth possession

  • Singer Chico DeBarge Arrested For Meth Possession

    Singer Chico DeBarge Arrested For Meth Possession

    The 53-year-old singer has a history of addiction.

    R&B singer Chico DeBarge was taken into custody for meth possession last month, according to TMZ.

    DeBarge, who had apparently locked his keys in his car, was spotted trying to use a wire to get into his SUV in a Walmart parking lot in Burbank in early November when police were called. Upon arrival, the police searched DeBarge under the assumption that he was trying to break into the vehicle.

    Authorities reportedly found methamphetamine in his pockets which led to a search of his vehicle where drug paraphernalia was discovered.

    The 53-year-old was taken to Burbank City Jail and is awaiting formal charges, TMZ reports.

    Family History Of Addiction

    DeBarge and his famous family members reached the height of fame in the ’80s where they dominated the R&B charts until addiction dismantled their reign. Bobby DeBarge Jr., the second-oldest sibling, enjoyed success with Switch, an 80s R&B/funk band, but his battle with addiction eventually led to his arrest for particpating in a drug-trafficking ring with his brother Chico in 1988.

    In 1995, at the age of 39, Bobby Jr. died in prison from AIDS-related complications.

    Chico received a six-year sentence and went on to record a comeback album which debuted in 1998.

    El DeBarge

    El DeBarge, arguably the most popular member of the famous singing family, publicly battled addiction throughout his successful career. He has been arrested three times for drug posession, spent time in prison for drugs, and struggled with cocaine addiction for decades.

    “I wasted more than 16 years that I was on drugs,” El told Mlive in 2010. “The drug thing was more like 22 years. I was out on tour with Chaka Khan. My 22 years of drugs, all that time was wasted. That was me not being dedicated to reality. That was me not being responsible to my children. That was me not being responsible to God, who gave me this gift of music. That was me not being responsible to my fans. That’s why it is such a gift that I have this time now to do it again. I didn’t have to be given this second chance because by the grace of God it was given to me. I think what happened is that I got my will power back.”

    El’s comeback tour was halted in 2011 when he entered rehab for addiction treatment, Grio reports. He was arrested for drug possession the following year.

    Other Siblings 

    In a 2011 interview with Dr. Drew, eldest sister Bunny DeBarge revealed that they believe the family is cursed with addiction. Bunny and her brothers Randy and James spoke candidly about using to stop withdrawals and how addiction has hurt their family for generations.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Woman Arrested After Asking Cops To Test Her Meth

    Woman Arrested After Asking Cops To Test Her Meth

    It’s not the first time that a person has contacted law enforcement to test their drugs.

    A woman from Alabama is in jail after she called police requesting that they come test her meth for purity. 

    When officers arrived, the woman pulled a bag of meth from a container of baby wipes and told the officers, “I want this dope tested,” according to The News Courier. 

    Stephen Young, public information officer for the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office, said that the officers then talked to the woman’s neighbor, who described her as “acting strangely.” The landlord believed she may have been on drugs. 

    The woman, Jennifer Colyne Hall, 48, confirmed that she had taken the drugs in the bag, but she didn’t know when. Police arrested her and charged her with possession of a controlled substance. Her bail was set at $2,500. 

    Florida Man Tried To Press Charges Against Dealer For Bad Reaction To Drugs

    The story might seem unbelievable, but it’s not the first time that a person has contacted law enforcement to test their drugs. Last year, a Florida man was arrested after he called police asking to have his meth tested. Douglas Peter Kelly had a bad reaction to the drugs and wanted to “press charges” against the dealer who sold it to him. 

    “In an effort to ensure the quality of the drug the suspect purchased, detectives told Kelly if he came to the sheriff’s office they could test the narcotic he purchased,” the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office later wrote on Facebook.

    Kelly was charged with possession and set at $2,500 bail. The sheriff’s office then posted this tongue-in-cheek message: “If you believe you were sold bad drugs, we are offering a free service to test them for you. Our detectives are always ready to assist anyone who believes they were misled in their illegal drug purchase.”

    Police Department’s Offer To “Test” Drugs Met With Criticism

    Earlier this year a Pennsylvania police officer received backlash for posting an offer on Facebook to “test” people’s drugs. The post from the Wilson Borough State Constable’s Office read:

    “If you have recently purchased meth in Northampton, Monroe, Lehigh or Bucks Counties, it may be contaminated with the Influenza Virus… Please bring all of it to your local Police Department and they will test it for free,” the post read, according to The Morning Call. “If you’re not comfortable driving to your local Police Department, You can contact my Office and an officer or deputy will be glad to come to you and test your Meth in the privacy of your home.”

    The post was later removed, in part because of outcry about it being inappropriate. 

    “The field doesn’t need misguided information or misguided attempts to change what is going on,” said Timothy Munsch, who works as executive director of the Lehigh Valley Drug and Alcohol Intake Unit.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Man Crashed Into Cop Cars While Driving With 600 Pounds Of Meth

    Man Crashed Into Cop Cars While Driving With 600 Pounds Of Meth

    Cops nabbed $140 million worth of meth after the driver smashed into their cars outside the station.

    If you ever feel like you’re having a rough Monday morning, spare a thought for this meth trafficker in Australia who got busted with $140 million (USD) of meth after he absolutely smashed his drug transport van into a parked police car.

    It was 10:30 in the morning on Monday, July 22, when New South Wales police officers heard a loud crash outside their building. Upon investigation, the officers discovered two of their cars smashed and the perpetrator nowhere in sight.

    “They checked the CCTV, they spoke to witnesses, and they identified a white Toyota Hiace van had collided with the vehicles at the front of the police station and taken off up Ethel Street, Eastwood,” said Detective Inspector Glyn Baker at a press conference.

    Meth Smuggling

    At around 11:30 AM, a senior officer spotted the car and pulled it over. 

    “The inspector pulled the vehicle over, engaged the driver in conversation,” reported Det. Insp. Baker. “The vehicle was searched and remarkably inside that vehicle was 13 boxes, in each box contained 21 one kilogram bags of methamphetamine, commonly referred to as ice.”

    In all, the authorities discovered about 273 kilograms (600 pounds) of meth, with an estimated street value of about $200 million AUD (or $140 million USD).

    The driver, the vehicle, and the drugs were all taken down to the police station.

    “The man was subsequently charged with supplied large commercial quantity of prohibited drugs, not giving his particulars, and obviously traffic offenses in relation to crashing into the police vehicles at the front of Eastwood Police Station,” said Det. Insp. Baker.

    Though they have their collar and seized the drugs, the case isn’t closed yet. Police are asking citizens for their help in tracking down exactly what the man had been doing with the drugs.

    “Anyone who may have dash cam footage or any CCTV footage,” said Det. Insp. Baker. “What we’d like to account for is the time between 10:30am on Monday—yesterday—morning, through to about 11:30 when the inspector stopped the vehicle on Church Street.”

    Despite the runaround the driver gave authorities, Det. Insp. Baker couldn’t help but sympathize with the man.

    “This 26-year-old Berala man has certainly had a very, very bad day,” he said. “Crashing into police vehicles with that amount of drugs on board is somewhat unheard of and it is an exceptional set of circumstances.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • "Chrisley Knows Best" Star Avoids Meth Possession Charges

    "Chrisley Knows Best" Star Avoids Meth Possession Charges

    Kyle Chrisley was arrested last month after police found meth in a cup inside of his car.

    Felony drug possession charges have been dropped for Kyle Chrisley, though he still faces a second and more serious charge of making terroristic threats against his ex-wife.

    TMZ reported that Chrisley—the eldest son of real estate businessman and reality television star Todd Chrisley—will no longer face charges for possession of methamphetamine, for which he was arrested in Oklahoma in May 2019.

    According to TMZ, the drugs in question were found in a cup in his car after police pulled him over for a broken taillight. The drugs were not on his person, which presented a greater challenge to prosecutors. However, the charges of threats against his wife remain on the books in Georgia, though Chrisley was released on his own recognizance.

    Chrisley, whose struggle with drug dependency was showcased during his single-season run on Chrisley Knows Best, was booked into Okmulgee County Jail for felony possession of methamphetamine.

    TMZ provided body camera footage of police officers discovering a bag containing what was described as methamphetamine in a cup holder located in the center console of Chrisley’s car.

    Because the drugs were found in the car and not on Chrisley’s person, TMZ stated that law enforcement officials with the Okmulgee County District Court had declined to prosecute him for the possession charge. Prosecutors apparently faced a greater challenge in gaining a conviction under such circumstances.

    TMZ also reported that given more serious charges Chrisley faced in Georgia, Okmulgee County decided to drop the drug charges. When Chrisley was arrested for the drug charges, the county also held him for an open warrant issued January 2019 in Dekalb County, Georgia. According to documents obtained by TMZ, Chrisley had allegedly sent several texts that threaten his estranged wife, Alexus.

    In one text, Chrisley reportedly told Alexus that he would “take care of this problem with you because if I’m not with you nobody will be [sic].” When asked if he was issuing a threat, Chrisley allegedly responded by writing, “yes: it was. Goodbye,” and also reportedly sent images to his ex-wife that showed him using drugs and holding a gun to his head.

    TMZ posted a mugshot of Chrisley and reported that he had been “booked” for issuing the alleged threats before being released.

    Chrisley has had several run-ins with the law in the past half-decade.

    Custody of Chloe was eventually granted to his father Todd Chrisley. In an interview with the British press, Kyle Chrisley accused his father of using his daughter to attract viewers to his reality show.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Misleading Post About Contaminated Meth Receives Backlash

    Misleading Post About Contaminated Meth Receives Backlash

    Local officials say the Facebook post, which was later deleted, was made in bad judgment.

    Officials in Pennsylvania say that a Facebook post by a constable offering to test meth for influenza was misleading and irresponsible. 

    “If you have recently purchased meth in Northampton, Monroe, Lehigh or Bucks Counties, it may be contaminated with the Influenza Virus. . . . Please bring all of it to your local Police Department and they will test it for free,” said the post, which was credited to Wilson Borough State Constable’s Office, according to The Morning Call. “If you’re not comfortable driving to your local Police Department, You can contact my Office and an officer or deputy will be glad to come to you and test your Meth in the privacy of your home.”

    Wilson Constable Fred Schoenenberger posted the message, which was later deleted. In Pennsylvania, constables are elected or appointed and make their money through fees for serving warrant and subpoenas and transporting prisoners. They aren’t associated with area police departments, which was part of the problem with Schoenenberger’s post, said Joshua Fulmer, a lawyer for the Northampton County Constables Association.

    “When you see this page it comes off as like something from a police department, but that’s not what it is,” he said. 

    The area’s district attorney said that the post was made in bad judgment: “I read it and it made no sense to me,” he said. 

    In recent years, police departments around the country have posted Facebook messages offering to test meth and other drugs for safety. In fact, Schoenenberger took the idea from an Illinois sheriff’s office that posted the same message on New Year’s Eve.

    The tactic is a tongue-in-cheek response to the drug epidemic, and — some might argue — a way to try and trick people into bringing their drugs to police. However, critics say that the approach falls flat and can lead to misunderstandings and mistrust.

    “The field doesn’t need misguided information or misguided attempts to change what is going on,” said Timothy Munsch, who works as executive director of the Lehigh Valley Drug and Alcohol Intake Unit.

    Although Schoenenberger deleted the post, he called it “a success” and said a few people even reached out to him for help with their substance use disorders. In a later post he stood by his actions. 

    “While this intended ‘humor’ may have offended some it certainly opened some real dialogue about how serious this issue is. We received many messages for help, and asking if this was real. The post is real and the help is real if you want it and ask for it.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Wynonna Judd's Daughter Sentenced For Meth Charges

    Wynonna Judd's Daughter Sentenced For Meth Charges

    Grace Pauline Kelley has been sentenced to eight years in prison.

    Grace Pauline Kelley, daughter of singer Wynonna Judd, was sentenced to eight years in prison for violating probation for a 2017 drug charge.

    Kelley, 22, left a 180-day in-house rehab program on November 19, 2017 before she was scheduled to be released, which violated the terms of probation she received for charges of manufacturing, delivery and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute in May 2017.  

    Robert Reburn, the Public Information Officer East Tennessee for the Tennessee Department of Correction, confirmed an inquiry by Us Weekly that Kelley had received the eight-year sentence, which does not expire until August 2025.

    Kelley is the younger of two children by Wynonna Judd, who was one-half of the popular ’80s country duo the Judds with her mother, Naomi; her father is Judd’s first husband, Arch Kelley, whom Judd divorced in 1998, two years after Grace Kelley’s birth.

    She made headlines for the first time in 2014, when Judd’s half-sister, actress Ashley Judd, sought temporary custody of the 17-year-old after she alleged that her mother abused drugs and alcohol and was verbally abusive. Wynonna Judd denied those charges.

    A year later, Kelley was arrested at a Walgreens in Nashville and charged with promotion of methamphetamine manufacture after police found a bag of items used for making meth in a plastic bag that Kelley reportedly threw from her car.

    She pled guilty to possession and received probation, which was revoked in 2016 after Kelley was arrested in Alabama on charges of being a fugitive from justice.

    In 2017, Kelley pled guilty to the aforementioned methamphetamine charges in Williamson County Court in Tennessee, and received a suspended sentence of 11 months and 29 days in jail, as well as a fine of $3,092.50, and a second suspended sentence of four years after pleading guilty to evading arrest in nearby Maury County.

    She was required to complete the 180-day rehab program and then 30 days in jail in March 2017, which would have then allowed her to complete the balance of her sentence on probation.

    According to Taste of Country, Kelley served her 30 days in June 2017 and moved on to rehab, but left the program on November 19, 2017. “[Kelley] was terminated from the recovery court program on November 21, 2017,” said a spokeperson for Williamson County. “A warrant for probation violation was issued on November 22, 2017 and served on December 16, 2017.”

    Probation was officially revoked on February 8, 2018, and Kelley was given the eight-year sentence, as well as the four-year sentence for evading arrest.

    Kelley will be eligible for parole on February 4, 2019. The Judd family and her father, Arch Kelley, have not issued any statement on her sentence. 

    View the original article at thefix.com