Question about my roommate having illegal stuff?

Question

I'm in a college apartment...so I don't have much of a choice on who I am partnered up with as a roommate. I noticed he had some illegal things laying around one day, and I was wondering if that could somehow get ME in trouble. I don't want to just rat him out because he hasn't been THAT big of a doochebag lately (he was in the past though). I was thinking if he did somehow end up getting caught with it...he could turn around and say it was mine! i'm worried. What should I do?

Answer 1

Go to your R.A. and tell them.

Answer 2

You say you "don't have much of a choice" about who your roommate is, but you actually DO have the right to request a change. Without making allegations about the "illegal stuff", go to the people who do the roommate assigning, and tell them that you absolutely cannot live with this person. Tell them that the roommate has habits that are against your religion/ethics/whatever. Absolutely, positively, do not screw the person by divulging anything that could cause them more trouble than you'd want yourself. Just get out of there ASAP, because yes, YOU could be arrested/charged/held accountable for whatever is in your shared space. There is virtually no way to prove that whatever is in there is not yours, or at the very least, that you knew about it but did nothing. There is nothing wrong with allowing someone else to mess up their own life, but when what that person is doing has the potential to mess up YOUR life, you have no time to be passive. Protect yourself and get yourself relocated NOW.

Answer 3

What he has can get you into trouble. The school will take administrative action against both roommates and the law can take legal action against you both. Knowing that a crime is being committed and not notifying the proper authorities brings responsibility for the continuance of that crime to your shoulders.

If you are uncomfortable with taking a stand then at the very minimum request a new room assignment. If you and your roommate have compatibility issues then they have to find a new room for one of you. The school would bear horrendous liability if one of you were injured in an altercation due to incompatibility and they were notified and knew or should have known. I will caution you though, if you elect to take this route have your reasons down before broaching the subject with school officials or they will suspect something and begin to ask questions that may put you on the spot and require you to give up your roommate.

Answer 4

I would bring it up to the staff for starters because if he is a doochebag from time to time, then if the place ever gets raided, its your word against his and hes not gonna want to take a rap if he can get out of it.

Answer 5

Short of calling the cops on him, there's not a whole lot you can do, however, being 'casual' roommates (i.e. not lovers, friends, relatives; just strangers), you can argue that you have no knowledge of it. Just make sure he keeps it in his private area (his bedroom, locker, etc).

If the cops find dope in a common area (kitchen, living room) and then find rolling papers, bongs, scales, etc in his bedroom, but not yours, they will associate it with him and you won't be charged. If you are charged, you can demonstrate that he was in possession of related materials and not you. That should clear you, legally. It could cause you a hassle, but I wouldn't worry about it if you're up front with him about keeping incriminating evidence out of your common areas (make him keep his sh it in his room). Flush a few roaches down the toilet and he'll toe the line.

Like I said, your only real protection is to report him, otherwise, just mitigate your culpability by having him keep it away from you.

Edit: BTW, simple possession (as far as the legal system is concerned) is no big deal. Cops, DAs, judges, could care less about a couple of college kids with a few grams of dope. The worst that would happen is you pay a fine. Try hittin' it a couple of times and see if it's worth having around. If it's not, hook him up with somebody who sells better sh it. That way you'll have a source that you can blackmail a joint or two out of for keeping quiet. Don't be a victim, take advantage of the situation.

Answer 6

If the illegal substance was in plain view, you are fully accountable for not reporting it. Say your roommate were to over dose on this illegal substance (if you can), once the police came you would responsible for not stopping him and therefore become an accomplish. Also, you would get in trouble and probably expelled from your college.

Answer 7

it doesn't matter if he points to you or not... if it's in your apartment, legally speaking, you are 'in posession' of it, and you'll get charged along with him. tell him nicely that you don't want your butt on the line with his if he happens to get caught. if he's at all human, he'll understand and keep it somewhere else. if he's stupid about it, report it to your housing super or whatever. that way you're not responsible for his being an idiot.

Answer 8

Notify the proper authorities. It's your civic duty. He's probably just a loser stoner anyhow, no great loss.

Trust your instincts, if it does come down to getting caught he WILL try and blame you for it!

Answer 9

TELL and TELL NOW!!! If he get caught you can be an accessory to the crime. Jail is not that fun so I have heard.

Answer 10

His illegal "stuff" can get you into trouble. Do what you have to so you don't get busted along with him.

Answer 11

If you're concerned, ask him to hide his stash so at least you have plausible deniability if he gets busted.