Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Rotarians Learn About Drugs

Drugs were the order of the day for the Gurdon Rotary Club, Thursday, Nov. 6.

Members of the club were informed of what can happen to those who use or sell illegal narcotics by Chris Harper with the Gurdon Police Department.

Harper said everyone knows the dangers of drugs, but not that all drugs are put in classifications according to their addictive abilities. There are six levels in the scheduling.

The GPD deals with three types of drugs primarily, Harper said, crack cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine, though methamphetamine is not as prevalent as the other two drugs in the county.

Crack is a schedule II narcotic, Harper told the Rotarians, while marijuana is a schedule VI drug. Each, he said, is measured differently, with marijuana being sold by the ounce and pound, while crack is sold by the gram.

Each of these drugs carries different penalties as well. Harper said possession of crack is a class C felony carrying a fine of up to $10,000 and a jail term of three to six years in the state prison.

On the other hand, the first offense for possession of marijuana is a class A misdemeanor, which has a $1,000 fine and up to a year in jail. The second pot related offense, however, becomes a class D felony with a fine up to $10,000 and as much as six years in jail. The third time loser with marijuana sees themselves facing a class C felony charge.

Now, if this person is caught and convicted selling marijuana, the rules change even more. The sale of less than 10 pounds can result in a prison term of 4-10 years and a $25,000 fine. For those selling 50-100 pounds of the herb, a 5-20 year stretch in the pen awaits as does a fine of $15,000-$50,000. Major dealers, selling more than 100 pounds, face 6-30 years in jail and a fine ranging from $15,000-$100,000.

Selling crack is considerably more serious. First, it is a class Y felony. This carries a possible prison sentence of 10 to 40 years or life and a fine of $25,000 for the sale of less than 28 grams.

Harper said under the law, the second drug conviction can net the perpetrator double time for the offense.

And, he continued, if a person is found guilty of possession with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of certain facilities, they can get enhanced time. These facilities include schools, churches, community centers, housing projects, YMCA, YWCA, drug treatment facilities or Boys or Girls Clubs. At this time, Harper said, malls and shopping centers are not on the list, but legislators are working to have them included.

When questioned about the street price of crack, Harper said a gram costs about $200. Marijuana, though, is sold differently in bags based on weight or by the pound. A pound can cost between $500 and $1,500.

For the enterprising person who doesn't want to be arrested for selling drugs and attempts to pass lawn clippings or oregano off as marijuana, they can be charged with possession with intent to deliver.

But, if they simply have these things on their person and aren't trying to sell them, they are breaking no law.

Harper told the Rotarians every day items can be made into drug paraphernalia. A table leg, he said, can be made into a pipe to smoke marijuana, as can bottles.

Diet scales can be utilized to weigh crack cocaine, while magazines are sold telling how to grow marijuana.

But, he said, most paraphernalia used in the drug world is common items which can be found on merchant's shelves.

Gurdon Mayor Rick Smith followed, saying while Gurdon is a good, clean town, people may have a false sense of security. This, he said, is because a lot is going on many don't know about.

There have been significant drug arrests made within the city limits by the GPD, while the information gathered from these arrests has been used to make other arrests in Clark and other counties.

A tally of misdemeanor cases going through municipal court was made by the mayor's assistant. While it doesn't show the felony arrests made, there were 446 arrests from Jan. 1, 1997 through the end of September.

Of these, 65 were alcohol related, 12 involved controlled substance of less than a felony amount, 18 were batteries, 10 were charged with harassment, 28 went to court for disorderly conduct, seven for terroristic threatening, 12 for criminal trespassing, 4 on weapons charges, 1 for discharging a firearm within the city limits, 6 for criminal mischief, 2 for resisting arrest, 17 for theft, 4 for excessive absences from school, 10 for violating the city's noise ordinance, 27 for failure to appear, 1 for cruelty to animals, 6 for failure to vacate, 67 for driving on a suspended or having no driver's license, 59 for no liability insurance, 34 for failure to comply with a court order, and 47 various traffic arrests.

"The Gurdon Police Department," Smith said, "has been busy."