potforfreedom

01/04/07 - By Christine Cartwright

When an Alva police officer, Michael Eckhardt, responded to a report of suspicious individuals in the early morning hours last Friday, he found three young men walking westbound along Oklahoma Bou...

Stings show some clerks lax about selling alcohol to minors

12/12/06 - By Roger McKenzie

Deputies from the Woods County Sheriff’s Office recently conducted sweeps of locations that sell alcoholic beverages in Alva, Waynoka, and Freedom to see if store clerks were selling those b...

Now showing results 1 to 10 of 75 articles

12/01/06 - Alva police arrest five within hours on drug charges

2006-12-01 00:00:00 Local headlines Alva police arrest five within hours on drug charges By Roger McKenzie Alva police were kept busy making drug arrests over the Thanksgiving holiday period.

10/19/06 - Drug cases result in multiple arrests

On Saturday around 11:45 p.m., Alva Police Officer Michael Eckhardt stopped a vehicle on Oklahoma Boulevard when he noticed it weaving. Inside Murrow’s shoe, the officers found “a bag...

03/20/03 - Combined Agencies Make Major Drug Busts

* Glenn Albert Clair III, 19, Alva: Possession of precursor substances with intent to manufacture methamphetamine (felony), unlawful possession of controlled drugs within 1,000 feet of a park or p...

01/12/06 - Three Arrested Monday for Marijuana Possession

2006-01-12 00:00:00 Local headlines Three Arrested Monday for Marijuana Possession By Grant Gibson The Alva Police Department arrested three individuals on marijuana-related offenses late Monday n...

10/02/03 - Off-Duty BJCC Employee Arrested for Possession of Marijuana

As Officer Whitney exited his patrol car, Thompson approached. Whitney asked Thompson if he was smoking marijuana, which Thompson denied. Officer Whitney then asked Thompson to sit in the patrol...

01/05/01 - Ten Pounds of Marijuana Worth $17,000 Seized in Waynoka

2001-01-05 00:00:00 Local Ten Pounds of Marijuana Worth $17,000 Seized in Waynoka By Becky McCray PHOTO: (From left) Assistant District Attorney Allan Mitchell, Woods County Sheriff's Office Deput...

11/27/06 - Police believe mom and teen daughter smoked pot together

2006-11-27 00:00:00 Local headlines Police believe mom and teen daughter smoked pot together By Roger McKenzie Alva police believe a 44-year-old Freedom mother and her 17-year-old daughter were ca...

03/30/06 - Man arrested for meth and marijuana possession

2006-03-30 00:00:00 Local headlines Man arrested for meth and marijuana possession By Grant Gibson Squire Logan IV, 28, of Alva, was charged in Woods County District Court on Friday with two drug ...

11/12/06 - Routine stop yields marijuana find in cigar

2006-11-12 00:00:00 Local headlines Routine stop yields marijuana find in cigar By Roger McKenzie Marijuana found hidden inside a cigar resulted in the arrest of an Alva woman for possession of ma...

12/15/05 - Three Arrested on Drug Charges Tuesday Night

2005-12-15 00:00:00 Local headlines Three Arrested on Drug Charges Tuesday Night By Grant Gibson The Alva Police Department arrested three individuals Tuesday evening after serving a search warran...

Ex-Cop Plans Video on How to Hide Drugs

Published: Dec 22, 2006 5:14 AM EST

TYLER, Texas (AP) - A one-time Texas drug agent described by his former boss as perhaps the best narcotics officer in the country plans to market a how-to video on concealing drugs and fooling police.

Barry Cooper, who has worked for small police departments in East Texas, plans to launch a Web site next week where he will sell his video, "Never Get Busted Again," the Tyler Morning Telegraph reported in its online edition Thursday.

A promotional video says Cooper will show viewers how to "conceal their stash,""avoid narcotics profiling" and "fool canines every time."

Cooper, who said he favors the legalization of marijuana, made the video in part because he believes the nation's fight against drugs is a waste of resources. Busting marijuana users fills up prisons with nonviolent offenders, he said.

"My main motivation in all of this is to teach Americans their civil liberties and what drives me in this is injustice and unfairness in our system," Cooper told the newspaper.

Cooper said his Web site should be operating by Tuesday.

As a drug officer, Cooper said, he made more than 800 drug arrests and seized more than 50 vehicles and $500,000 in cash and assets.

"He was even better than he says he was," said Tom Finley, Cooper's former boss on a West Texas drug task force and now a private investigator in Midland. "He was probably the best narcotics officer in the state and maybe the country during his time with the task force."

News of the video has angered authorities, including Richard Sanders, an agent with the Tyler Drug Enforcement Agency. Sanders said he plans to investigate whether the video violates any laws.

"It outrages me personally as I'm sure it does any officer that has sworn an oath to uphold the laws of this state, and nation," Sanders said. "It is clear that his whole deal is to make money and he has found some sort of scheme, but for him to go to the dark side and do this is infuriating."

Smith County Deputy Constable Mark Waters, a narcotics officer, said the video is insulting to law enforcement officials.

"This is a slap in the face to all that we do to uphold the laws and keep the public safe," he said.

OKLAHOMA MARIJUANA ARREST RATES BY COUNTY

Laws for the state of Oklahoma

Any conviction causes driver's license suspension for 6 months to 3 years.

Details

Possession of any amount of marijuana is punishable by up to one year in jail for the first offense and 2 - 10 years in prison for subsequent offenses. Conditional discharge is available to first time offenders.

Cultivation of 1,000 plants or less is punishable by 2 years - life in prison and a fine up to $20,000. Cultivation of greater than 1,000 plants is punishable by 20 years - life in prison and a fine up to $50,000.

Sale or delivery of less than 25 pounds is punishable by 2 years - life in prison and a fine of $20,000. For sale or delivery of 25 pounds or more the penalties increase to 4 years - life in prison and a fine of $25,000 - $100,000. Sale or delivery of 1,000 pounds or more is also punishable by 4 years - life in prison, but the fine increases to $100,000 - $500,000. Any sale to a minor doubles the penalties. Sale within 2,000 feet of schools, public parks or public housing doubles the available penalties and carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 50% of the imposed sentence.

If eighteen (18) years of age or over who delivering/ selling drug paraphernalia to a person under eighteen (18) years of age shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a felony and causes driver's license suspension for 6 months to 3 years.

Any person convicted of any offense described in this section shall, in addition to any fine imposed, pay a special assessment trauma-care fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) to be deposited into the Trauma Care Assistance Revolving Fund.

If never been previously convicted these offenses under any statute of the United States or of any state relating to narcotic drugs, marihuana, or stimulant, depressant, or hallucinogenic drugs, pleads guilty to or is found guilty of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, the court may, without entering a judgment of guilt and with the consent of such person, defer further proceedings and place him on probation upon such reasonable terms and conditions as it may require including the requirement that such person cooperate in a treatment and rehabilitation program of a state-supported or state-approved facility, if available.

Any student loan, grant, fellowship, teaching fellowship or other means of financial assistance authorized by and/or under the control of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, any operating Board of Regents of Oklahoma Universities or Colleges, or any employee or employees of any university, college or other institution of higher learning, whether such loan, grant, fellowship, teaching fellowship or other means of financial assistance be financed by state or federal funds, or both, may be revoked or terminated by the person or persons authorizing and/or controlling same for any of the following reasons: unlawful manufacture, preparation, delivery, sale, offering for sale, barter, furnishing, giving away, possession, control, use or administering of narcotic drugs, marijuana, barbiturates or stimulants.

Conditional release: The state allows conditional release or alternative or diversion sentencing for people facing their first prosecutions. Usually, conditional release lets a person opt for probation rather than trial. After successfully completing probation, the individual's criminal record does not reflect the charge.

Mandatory minimum sentence: When someone is convicted of an offense punishable by a mandatory minimum sentence, the judge must sentence the defendant to the mandatory minimum sentence or to a higher sentence. The judge has no power to sentence the defendant to less time than the mandatory minimum. A prisoner serving an MMS for a federal offense and for most state offenses will not be eligible for parole. Even peaceful marijuana smokers sentenced to "life MMS" must serve a life sentence with no chance of parole.

Marijuana tax stamps: This state has a marijuana tax stamp law enacted. This law mandates that those who possess marijuana are legally required to purchase and affix state-issued stamps onto his or her contraband. Failure to do so may result in a fine and/or criminal sanction. For more information, see NORML's report Marijuana Tax Stamp Laws And Penalties .

Also see Federal Laws