BATH, Maine — The Bath Police Department charged a Bath man last week with drug trafficking after police searched his house.
Lt. Stan Cielinski said Miles Burleson-Lesser, 19, of 14 Green St., was charged Tuesday with aggravated trafficking in marijuana, a Class C felony, after law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his home.
A Bath Police Department drug detective said information about Burleson-Lesser came to light in the course of investigating another case, which the detective used to obtain a search warrant.
The Bath Police Department, aided by the Sagadahoc County Sheriff ’s Department and Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, began the search around 7 p.m.
In the course of the search, the detective said a small amount of marijuana was found, estimated to be approximately an ounce. An ounce of marijuana has a value of around $200.
Some marijuana was dried and some packaged for sale, Cielinski said. Also found was approximately $3,000 in cash, which investigators believe to be proceeds from drug sales.
The drug detective said Burleson- Lesser lives in a school zone and allegedly sold marijuana to people from that house within the school zone, prompting a more severe charge.
To see more from the Times Record visit timesrecord.com
$200?! Are you kidding me? Nothing better to do fellas? I’ve got a tip for you if your interested…go to the high schools, you could arrest all kinds of kids there.
Is pot still illegal?
law enforcement at its best they must be proud
Great job Sgt. Stadanko! Time to punch out and go have a few dozen beers with Sgt. Friday and talk about how you are taking a bite out of crime.
Picking on the cops is wrong. They cannot selectively pick which law to enforce. If you don’t agree with the law vote and have it changed, but don’t blame the cops.
The cops do have the ability to choose which direction they focus their time and efforts. I personally would rather see them pursuing murder investigations and and other violent crimes. But, I am sure that scaring 19 year old kids over an ounce of pot is much more fun.
They can most definitely be selective on which laws they decide to enforce at the time. Clearly you’ve never heard of a LEO issuing a “warning”…….
OK. Let’s play out this scenario. He issues the dealer a warning, even though the evidence is obvious this is not for personal or medicinal use. The next week he sells to a 12 year old who fingers him. The 12 old parents then sue the officer for letting him continue to deal. Officer must defend himself in court.
Warnings for personal use, sure. Warnings for dealers, too much liability risk for any officer.
And no, I am not a cop or lawyer.
How is an oz. “obvious this is not for personal or medicinal use”? I prefer to get one a month so I don’t have to keep going to the big, bad drug dealer every week. If I could afford a pound, so I don’t have to go get it every month, I would. 16 month supply! And the 3 grand they found….it is income tax time.
See no evil, hear not evil, much?
I see, nor hear any evil in this conversation. Actually, as God- like a plant as you will find.
So on Sunday when I got stopped for speeding on the turnpike and got a warning, the officer who issued the warning could have been sued if I later kill or injure someone with my car?
Sure. You could file suit for lesser things, as well. The point is, the LEO isn’t held accountable. Therefore there is no case. It’s not negligent for the LEO to issue a warning. Bill lacks understanding…..
Yes. Absolutely
Cool, I didn’t know LE could pick and choose which laws they want to enforce. No wonder we have so many burglarys, assaults, DV etc…
Why would you comment on something you have no knowledge about?
My bad, I should have quantified my comment so you could understand it. And you are the Central Scrutinizer or the Grand Buvwah I presume.
Again, you’re having a more than difficult time comprehending this topic. Educate yourself. Now, on your way…….
Police pick and choose EVERY DAY which traffic violations to hand out and based on the number of police parked on the side of the road, the traffic violations seem to be what they most concern themselves with, so yes, they can and DO pick and choose with laws to enforce.
Dang I don’t remember saying traffic one time, do you? But I would be a little miffed if LE didn’t not respond to report of a serious crime because they didn’t feel it was significant. Face it, the man was stupid enough to get caught so slap his hand and send him on his way.
And some people would find it ridiculous that warnings are handed out for high speed on the interstate.
And for the record, traffic laws are LAWS. You said LAWS. Didn’t know you were talking only about what you consider to be a serious crime with obviously differs from my definition. To me serious is rape, murder, heroin sales, etc. Selling weed is NO different than selling beer, other than the beer is regulated.
Sorry you missed ” burglarys, assaults, DV etc…” I think we’re onthe same sheet of music now aren’t we? BTW good luck at Daytona…
Your nuts if you don’t think the cops have the choice whether to pursue something or not. It’s a matter of priority. The pot issue aside, are you trying to tell me they had nothing better to do…issue some tickets for jay walking perhaps.
“Also found was approximately $3,000 in cash, which investigators believe to be proceeds from drug sales.”
Why? Did all the bills have that little “George Washington Grew Hemp” stamp on them?
See no evil, much? A 19 year old with packages for reselling dime bags has $3,000 in cash. Not hard to connect the dots.
Why do we even care about someone who is selling a NATURALLY occurring plant that helps millions of Americans and also has the potential to a HUGE textile industry hiring thousands of people.
I’m s-o-o-o tired of the corrupt myopic view of the government . . a government that continues to be extremely out-of-step with it’s citizens and always behind the curve.
Our current Federal marijuana laws reflect the best thinking of the 13th century!
Wow to much time on our hands people. Wonder how much over time went into this mega bust. How many Bath PD positions would have to be eliminated before the department found something really worthwhile to do? What a waste of time and money.
Boo-did the story scare you?
What scares me is Maine has the best moonbats diebold and the FBI can elect
to the Bat house in Augusta
making life and death decisions about the quality of life we experience in Maine.
Do you think Anonymous plans to pay Bangor Top Cop Gastia a visit because he graduated from the
FBI Crime family Academy?
see link for full story
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/americas/anonymous-hackers-claim-hit-on-ohio-fbi-partner-website-replace-homepage-with-rap-video/2012/02/24/gIQA615aXR_story.html
Anonymous hackers claim hit on Ohio FBI partner website; replace homepage with rap video
February 24, 8:18 AM
LONDON — Hackers claiming allegiance to the loose-knit Anonymous
movement have claimed responsibility for vandalizing an Ohio FBI partner
website, replacing its homepage with the video for rap hit “Gangsta’s
Paradise.”
The hackers said Friday that they were responsible for defacing
the website of the Dayton, Ohio-based chapter of Infragard, a
public-private partnership for critical infrastructure protection
sponsored by the FBI.
The Ohio site was replaced with the video for Coolio’s 1995 rap
hit and a profane message attacking Infragard as a “sinister alliance”
between corporations and law enforcement.
What a waste of taxpayer money. When will we realize that marijuana’s place in the economy is not to generate more job hours for law enforcement who should be focused instead on the violent crimes in the area?
We need to legalize now and reap the benefits on the failing economy rather than persecute an overwhelming amount of citizens who use marijuana recreationally and for medical benefit.
If the news story was “Bath Man charged with selling substance less dangerous than Advil”,
I’m sure that some people’s opinions would be different.
A search warrant to get an ounce of weed off the street? Yippee.
All the Bath police have done here is make some money for the lawyer that this kid will be forced to hire. His only regret this morning is that he chose to live in a school zone.
The article makes it sound like this kid was drying copius amounts of herbs. They found some “dried” and some prepackaged for sale. Sounds like the kid had a rolling tray where some had been left to “dry” out. Most leaves dry out when exposed to air which is why those that smoke the stuff keep it inside baggies. Some people who possess an ounce of weed don’t want to walk around with the entire ounce so they put some in other bags to keep separate. With the cash, it sounds like this guy was dealing but with $3000 it sounds like he was likely dealing something else as well that they didn’t find. $3000 and one ounce of weed doesn’t add up. $3000 and a pound of weed or more makes more sense. If this guy was bringing in that much cash, he was selling frequently. Very frequently. Think about it. An ounce of weed they valued that $200. Well that would mean 15 ounces for $3000 and the street price isn’t the price he paid for it. Dealers don’t deal so they can supply the public at the same price they are getting it for. Either this guy got lucky that he only had an ounce on him at the time or there is something missing that the police don’t seem too interested in or aware of.
” Also found was approximately $3,000 in cash, which investigators believe to be proceeds from drug sales”… Hmmm… he might have been operating a bank.
My buddy just got caught with a pound also charge with aggravated trafficking in marijuana only did 12 days in jail. If this guy gets a lawyer they cant prove that money is drug money he will get off. What a waste of tax money to bust a ounce
For those that want, grow your own!!
More dangerous narcotics off our streets and out of our schools. Good job, police!
you must be joking right? I really hope so
weed is not a narcotic lmao lighten up smoke a jibber
I wonder how many cans/bottles of beer they could find in the refrigerators around that very same school……
End prohibition……
El Paso commissioner arrested by DEA
see link for full story
http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/02/23/El-Paso-commissioner-arrested-by-DEA/UPI-83251330014205/
Published: Feb. 23, 2012 at 11:23 AM
EL PASO, Texas, Feb. 23 (UPI) — El Paso, Texas, County Commissioner Guillermo Gandara Jr. was arrested by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on drug trafficking charges, officials said.
Gandara, who is a candidate for state representative, has taken a hard-line anti-drug stance throughout his career, the newspaper said. In September, he told the Times he thought drug legalization was a bad idea for the country.
Bath police are a joke and almost every sensible person can agree that this was a waste of time and money.
oh no a whole ounce of pot,what will we do,the worlds coming to an end.what a waste of the cops time and our tax money.3000 dollars,really chump change if its drug money.some people make that in a week cutting wood.