Roommates selling marijuana

[iglesia_tangeri]

What is the name of your state? Wisconsin

Two of my roommates are selling pot, and I don't have a problem with it as long as I am not involved. If they by any chance get into any trouble with the law, is there any chance of me getting a fine or even jail time? I am trying to stay out of it as much as possible, but I don't know if I will get charged with something because I live in the same house as them.

 

[Some Random Guy]

As their roommate, you are aware of and their ongoing criminal enterprise. If you are present during any sales or related activity (bagging, weighting, etc), then expect to get charged for distribution.

Regardless of your relationship to them, expect to have your belongings searched and/or confiscated by the police when they are arrested. Expect many thousands of dollars on legal fees trying to prove that you were not involved.

 

[iglesia_tangeri]

So when you say 'present during any sales or related activity' does that mean I could be in my room, while they are in theirs and I would not be considered present? Or would I have to leave the property entirely?

 

[Some Random Guy]

I mean that when somebody gets busted with the dope, they will tell the cops "I bought dope from Jon. His buddies dave and Sylvester were sitting on the couch next to me when I bought the stuff."

The police will have the informant or an undercover do a couple more buys and then everybody that they can even remotely connect to th edope will be going to jail.

Even if nobody fingers you directly, expect them to search the whole house for the dope, money, computer records, etc, and cart away anything that they want to investigate further.

Its just a bad situation. You are on the hook for a lot of hassle and legal expense and possibly jail time, but you are getting none of the profits. Move as soon as you can.

 

[Just Blue]

So when you say 'present during any sales or related activity' does that mean I could be in my room, while they are in theirs and I would not be considered present? Or would I have to leave the property entirely?

You seem determined to go to prison by placing yourself in illegal situations...WHY?

https://forum.freeadvice.com/showthread.php?t=371091

 

[iglesia_tangeri]

Haha, okay, well I signed the lease to the place before they started selling.

And about the other thread, what can I say? The parents are going out of town and I'm 19!

 

[smutlydog]

What is the name of your state? Wisconsin

Two of my roommates are selling pot, and I don't have a problem with it as long as I am not involved. If they by any chance get into any trouble with the law, is there any chance of me getting a fine or even jail time? I am trying to stay out of it as much as possible, but I don't know if I will get charged with something because I live in the same house as them.

To some extent it depends on the police department. The policy might be to arrest everyone and see what sticks. I f you are not technically responsible there is still the cost of bail $$. Then you have to hire an attorney $$ to get the arrest record expunged. This is assuming a blood thirsty prosecutor doesn’t throw the dice and bring charges against you. Also if the informant says you were directly involved (even if your not) you may have even bigger problems.

 

[The Occultist]

Haha, okay, well I signed the lease to the place before they started selling.

Break your lease or go to the cops yourself.

 

[outonbail]

If these roommates are paying rent, utility bills and buying groceries with the profit of their illegal drug sales, then you are also benefiting by this illegal enterprise even though you are not directly handling the product. Plus, since you have no problem with it, it won't belong before a roommate asks you to do them a favor and when so and so shows up, give them this baggy. To which you will respond sure, I can do that.

I would also advise against living at any home that has drug traffic coming and going at all hours of the day and night. Even if this is not happening right now, just give it a little time and you will wake up and find people in your home, who you don't know and have never met, on a daily basis. Many of these people will take the first opportunity they see, to separate you from your valuables, and possibly worse.

 

[iglesia_tangeri]

it won't belong before a roommate asks you to do them a favor and when so and so shows up, give them this baggy. To which you will respond sure, I can do that.

Not quite. I told them I wouldn't do anything like that.

As for them using the illegally obtained money to buy groceries and such, I have my own fridge so I don't plan on eating any of their food. And if what if they didn't pay the bills with that money? Would I then still be benefiting from an illegal enterprise?

 

[tranquility]

It would be nearly impossible to knowingly live with a person selling drugs and to not be involved in a conspiracy of some sort. Just because you don't directly profit from some sale, you will almost assuredly be tainted.

Drug dealer: "Oh, that's my guy, will you open the door?"
You: "Sure."

You just committed an overt act to accomplish a drug sale you knew, or should have known, was going to happen.

Drug dealer: "Since you're going to the store, get me a box of baggies."
You: "OK."

You just committed an overt act to accomplish a drug sale you knew, or should have known, was going to happen.

Ring-ring, You:"Hello."
Person you know has come to the house in the past to buy drugs from roommate Ray: "Is Ray there? Put him on."
You: "Ray, it's for you."

You just committed an overt act to accomplish a drug sale you knew, or should have known, was going to happen.

Now you may not be charged in any of those cases, but it is highly unlikely you would not be legitimately suspected and hassled beyond belief. As I say with all my drug posts, I have a Libertarian attitude towards drugs. People should be free to be stupid if they so choose. However, the laws are quite clear and a substantial portion of the population think drugs are beyond evil and those associated with them should be severely punnished. This attitude is known by everyone in society and I guarantee you nothing good will come from ignoring that fact.

Also, bad things seem to happen to drug dealers other than legal ones directly related to the crime. They tend to do other illegal acts. They tend to have other illegal acts done to them. Crime and violence follow those involved with the sale of drugs. Some (like me) might claim this is primarilly because of the illegality of drugs and not the inherent behaviors associated with it, but one cannot deny the direct relationship. Do you really want to be in with this culture? Do you really want to put yourself at such risk? Remember that the type of risk we are talking about is *life changing* risk. You will never be the same when something bad happens in a drug environment.

Choose wisely. No one will feel sorry for you if you choose poorly.

 

[guywithabrain]

The best advice is to move out as soon as you can. It will hurt financially to break a lease, but it is for the best.

However, do NOT go to the police under any circumstance. Regardless of the fact that you will be sending your friends to prison, you will expose yourself to criminal liability. Cops are trained to pretend they are your friends and will help you out as long as you tell them everything you know. Meanwhile, they will be building a case against you. You simply have nothing to gain and everything to lose by getting the police involved.

 

[The Occultist]

However, do NOT go to the police under any circumstance. Regardless of the fact that you will be sending your friends to prison, you will expose yourself to criminal liability. Cops are trained to pretend they are your friends and will help you out as long as you tell them everything you know. Meanwhile, they will be building a case against you. You simply have nothing to gain and everything to lose by getting the police involved.

I must somewhat disagree here. In my experience, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" seems to be true quite often. The first one that goes to the police will have the most success in denying involvement.

 

[tranquility]

Relying on the good will and common sense of the police or prosecutor is a bet I wouldn't take. From a cost/benefit analysis at this time, I see no reason to go. There is no indication the police are involved at all. For the reasons I mentioned earlier, I think any full vetting by the police with a cooperative OP would indicate some involvement with crime. Again, they may not prosecute, but why take the chance? The OP would be relying on people he doesn't know and who he has no deal with to determine the fairness of the situation. To give up one's right to remain silent in the hope things will go well seems an expensive bet. Better would be to leave, take a hit on the rent/lease and leave. Maybe try to get the roommates to step up and take the lease over, but leave.