A Connecticut man is in serious legal trouble after being arrested in Maryland for allegedly having 124 pounds of marijuana in his minivan. He's facing charges unique to that state -- being a "drug kingpin."
The 67-year-old Waterbury man is being held on $1 million bond after a Maryland State Police trooper pulled him over for speeding on Interstate 95 on the evening of Oct. 22. The trooper reported that he called in a K-9 officer to inspect the vehicle after he noted "several indicators of criminal activity." The dog allegedly found five trash bags filled with what troopers believed to be marijuana. They say this amount of marijuana would be worth about $620,000 on the street.
Under that state's law, a drug kingpin is anyone who "conspires to manufacture, distribute, dispense, transport in, or bring into the State a controlled dangerous substance" of more than a designated weight or dosage. The designated amount for marijuana is 50 pounds.
If convicted under this law, the Connecticut man could face a prison sentence of 20 to 40 years behind bars with no possibility of parole. He could also be ordered to pay a fine of up to $1 million.
State laws regarding drug use, possession and sale vary significantly by state. A person who's arrested is subject to the laws in whatever state the arrest occurred. Many people travel from Connecticut and other parts of New England down the coast along I-95, sometimes as far as Florida. While obviously, carrying illegal drugs is never wise, it's essential to know that the state in which you're arrested could significantly affect how your alleged offense is handled.
Source: Baltimore Sun, "Connecticut man charged after 124 pounds of marijuana found in minivan on I-95, police say," Carrie Wells, Oct. 23, 2016