What should I do?

[miamigator]

I live in Miami, Florida.

Today I was pulled over by an under cover police officer (I beleive they are called "detectives") and he searched my car. He found a pipe with marijuana residue on it, and told me that technically he could arrest me or write a PTA (promise to appear) for drug paraphernalia. After seeing that I have a clean record and nothing else illegal in the car, though, he told me he was not going to get me in trouble but that he wanted me to help him out as a price. He said he would call me on Monday morning (I gave him my cell phone number, and he wrote down my Driver's License number and license place) and that he would arrange to meet me somewhere then. According to his directions, I would then proceed to call a drug dealer who I know in the area and arrange to buy marijuana. The under cover officer would then wait outside the determined location and stop both myself and the drug dealer immediately after the transaction. He said he would then arrest the dealer and pretend in his presence to write me a PTA, which he would later destroy after the dealer was taken away. He said that if I cooperate and do this that he will not charge me with anything and give me no more hassles.

It sounds like an okay deal to me, but I am wondering is this even legal for an officer to do? It seems pretty corrupt. Also, if I just ignore this and do not answer his phone calls, is there legally anything he can do to me? He has absolutely no evidence from today (he gave me the pipe back after I promised to meet him on Monday), and I doubt he would come to my house and try to track me down if I do not snitch on a dealer for him. What do you think I should do in this situation, should I ignore it alltogether, should I report him to the chief of police, or should I cooperate and go along with the undercover cop? I am just a bit worried that he may be lying to me and that what he really wants to do on Monday is arrest both me and the dealer at the same time, and he is just luring me back to buy weed so that he can arrest 2 people instead of 1. Is this legal for him to do?

Thanks, I am really confused as to what I should do..

 

[Isis1]

If it was me, i'd consult with a few attorneys, stop doing drugs and check myself into rehab.

 

[StevenJ_420Law]

It sure would be terrible if drug dealers found out about you and something awful happened.

 

[justalayman]

yes, he can file his report and get you charged later or since he knows you do drugs and carry, he waits for a chance to stop you legally and if he does it right, he ends up being able to search you. He can play this game for a long time. He will eventually catch you with something.

So, he wants you to be an informant. Yes, he could simply arrest both of you. If he doesn't, what guarantee do you have that he won't keep using you to catch dealers. Remember, now you have been caught with drugs twice.

How long are you willing to be an informant for him?


just take the charges he will likely stick you with and deal with them and move on with life.

 

[miamigator]

Yes, I realize that he is trying to make me his informant. I am willing to do this, and I'm not too worried about drug dealers finding out that I'm a snitch. I don't care if he keeps using me to catch dealers, I just want to do what will get me off this particular time. Honestly I don't plan on continuing to carry drugs when I'm driving, so even if he did stop me and search the car in the future he wouldn't find anything. (plus, I am moving in about a month to another city several hundred miles away)

I know that he could arrest both me and the dealer if I go back to meet with him, but would this seem like something a detective would do? He promised me today that if I cooperate with him he will not file charges against me. Is it not illegal for a cop to play mind games with you like this and arrest someone who is helping them out?

And about filing charges in the future, is there anything he can really do at this point? He may know that I do drugs but he has no evidence that I was carrying around the pipe because he gave it back to me. Do you really think a cop would go out of his way to file a complaint against someone who simply didn't act as an informant?

I really can't handle being charged with anything at this point in my life, so I would rather do whatever is most likely to get me off without anything on my record.

 

[StevenJ_420Law]

The government reducing other wise good people to this type of crap and dealing with these types of people, and if he is caught, he may die... for policies firmly rooted in racist fears that have been preached since 1937 and spewing filthy lies - all to expand government power and chip away at rights...make me ill. Worse,they have completely empowered criminal organizations in the process and created a nightmare of a drug mess. Ultimate FAIL.

America is collapsing under the weight of its socialist super federalism expanded by Republican and DemocRat - I hope it was worth it.

I've done my part.. but I guess I can always claim "I did what I was told".

 

[CdwJava]

The government reducing other wise good people to this type of crap and dealing with these types of people, and if he is caught, he may die... for policies firmly rooted in racist fears that have been preached since 1937 and spewing filthy lies - all to expand government power and chip away at rights...make me ill. Worse,they have completely empowered criminal organizations in the process and created a nightmare of a drug mess. Ultimate FAIL.

America is collapsing under the weight of its socialist super federalism expanded by Republican and DemocRat - I hope it was worth it.

I've done my part.. but I guess I can always claim "I did what I was told".

Feel better now??

One sure way to avoid getting mixed up with having to make deals like this is not to break the law. This is a concept that so few seem to understand.

 

[justalayman]

Is it not illegal for a cop to play mind games with you like this and arrest someone who is helping them out?

it depends. You might be able to argue entrapment, while you are sitting in the cell next to the guy you ratted out. I'm sure he will be happy.

And about filing charges in the future, is there anything he can really do at this point?

absolutely. All he has to do is turn in his report with charges recommended and the DA will look at it and if he feels there is a good poccibility he can convict you, he will seek a warrant for your arrest.

He may know that I do drugs but he has no evidence that I was carrying around the pipe because he gave it back to me

. he has his word and even if not the pipe, what about the dope?

Do you really think a cop would go out of his way to file a complaint against someone who simply didn't act as an informant?

hell ya.

I really can't handle being charged with anything at this point in my life

,Now it's a big deal to you. Should have thought of that before you were carrying dope.

so I would rather do whatever is most likely to get me off without anything on my record.

Ok, I had a friend, a relative actually. Similar situation as you. He decided to be a rat. after I can't remember how many busts (after being promised "just one") he said "I'm done". Cop says yep, you are. hands behind your back, You're going to jail.

So now, the cops are pissed. The guys he ratted on are pissed and looking to kill him and he is in jail.

The only thing that really saved his ass is those cops were also under investigation by the feds and as this was all transpiring, the feds figured it was time to pull the plug on the investigation and the cops went away. He was looking at being charged for every deal he was involved in.

So, he still did time though on the original charges even after helping the cops.

Of course, you are free to do what you want.

Oh, he's out of jail now and he still watches to see who is behind him, in front of him or simply driving past his house.

 

[miamigator]

I didn't have any "dope" on me at the time the car was searched.

 

[justalayman]

hey, then what's to worry about? It's not like he will remember who you are and stake you out, or maybe the next kid that comes up to you to buy or sell dope will be an informant.


Nah, nothing to worry about at all. I'd tell the cop to piss off.

 

[ElvinMelvin]

Is it not illegal for a cop to play mind games with you like this and arrest someone who is helping them out?

Illegal?!?

It's standard operating procedure fer chrissake.

Read this carefully:

Never--ever--talk to the police without an attorney present.

 

[garrula lingua]

It's not a good idea to work as a snitch.
Let the cops do their job; they're trained for this & you are not.

In many jurisdictions, mj & para are minor offenses & can be cleared up fairly easily (most Prosecutors use their own form of deferral if the court doesn't have a formal diversion).

If the cop didn't write a citation or book you when he pulled you over, he probably won't even pursue charges. When he calls, tell him your parents had a fit, and flat demanded that you not cooperate with anything but your own prosecution.

 

[Katie1081]

I'm sorry but after reading this I have to say that "snicthing" on someone to get you out of a simple possesion charge is an AWFUL thing to do...Someone snitched on me, someone I thought I could trust and now that person could get me taken away from my child...Even though I wasn't "big time" and only done it once do you really want to be the cause of messing up someone's life just so you get out of trouble???

 

[CdwJava]

There is some truth to the statement, "There is no honor among thieves."

Most criminals - druggies in particular - are often very willing to roll on their compatriots to protect themselves. It is the nature of the beast. If someone wants trust, they should not break the law.