The four individuals arrested during the conclusion of an ongoing drug investigation on March 26 and 27 will go to court for their adjudicatory hearing on May 29, according to the General District Court Online Information System. Such a hearing can include the final judgement in a case, according to the code of Virginia.
According to the General District Court Online Information System, the two individuals arrested on March 26, Virginia Morgan and Micah Golemon-Mercer, face felony sale, distribution of marijuana. Tristin Harding, who was arrested on March 27, faces a felony sale, distribution of marijuana, along with a felony manufacturing/etc. of a controlled substance and a felony possession of a gun while the possession of a schedule I or II substance. Charles Keenan, who was arrested with Harding, faces a misdemeanor possession of marijuana, a felony possession of a controlled substance and a felony possession of a gun while in possession of a schedule I or II substance.
According to Longwood University Police Chief Col. Robert Beach, LUPD has been a member of the Piedmont Regional Drug and Gang Task Force, who was responsible for the arrests, for the past four years.
“The lead investigator on a majority of that was our detective, our member of the task force,” said Beach.
Beach did not confirm nor deny if the four arrested were Longwood students.
The felony sale, distribution of marijuana charge that Morgan, Mercer and Harding all face involves a person either selling, distributing, giving or possession with the intent to sell, give or distribute marijuana. It is a class five felony, which is punishable up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $2,500, according to the code of Virginia. For possession of marijuana to be a class five felony, one must have more than one-half ounce of marijuana and no more than five pounds.
Keenan’s felony of possession of a controlled substance is a class five felony and involves possession of a controlled substance that was not obtained “directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice,” according to the code of Virginia. The possession of a gun while in possession of a schedule I or II substance that both Harding and Keenan face is a class six felony. A class six felony is punishable up to five years in prison and a fine of $2,500.
According to Beach, various elements of evidence are required for one to be charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.
“It could be observation of them actually selling it, it could be any number of different elements of evidence that are present or gathered that shows that the person was distributing the stuff,” said Beach.
The less serious misdemeanor possession of marijuana charge that Keenan faces is punishable with no more than 30 days in jail and a fine of no more than $500. This means that the marijuana that was in possession was no more than one-half ounce.
Keenan’s felony of possession of a controlled substance is a class five felony and involves possession of a controlled substance that was not obtained “directly from, or pursuant to, a valid prescription or order of a practitioner while acting in the course of his professional practice,” according to the code of Virginia. The possession of a gun while in possession of a schedule I or II substance that both Harding and Keenan face is a class six felony. A class six felony is punishable up to five years in prison and a fine of $2,500.
The charge of manufacturing/etc. of a controlled substance that Harding faces involves manufacturing, selling, distributing or possessing with the intent to manufacture, sell, give or distribute a controlled substance or an imitation controlled substance.
According to Beach, for one to be charged with manufacturing/etc. of a controlled substance, there must be “evidence that there were resources or types of drugs” that could be used to produce the drug so it could be sold.
Both LUPD and the Virginia State Police could not provide any details about the investigation itself due to it being still currently underway.
Stay tuned to The Rotunda for more details.
Both LUPD and the Virginia State Police are investigating the arrests of four individuals on March 26 and 27.
