guitly by association?

Question

My girlfriend and our roommate want to make some extra cash. So they have decided without consulting me that they want to sell weed to some close friends. I only found out because I heard them talking on the phone. I confronted my girlfriend about it right after the phone convo to let her know that I DO NOT want this to be done but she really think it will be a good idea. So she wants to do it anyway... I can't respect that... she hasn't done it yet, our roommate comes home tomorrow or the next day with it, apparently it's A LOT. If they do this and are found out, will I be in trouble? If I manage to talk my girlfriend out of it, but our roommate still does it, will WE be in trouble?

Guilty, not guitly. Sorry.

Answer 1

I am a newly retired police detective and commander. I spent almost my entire 20+ year career in narcotics.

On the most technical of terms, yes you could be charged with complicity for knowing the sales took place. A lot of this would depend on several factors. One would be if any of your resources were used with your knowledge, such as your car, etc, etc. Two, quite frankly it would depend on how much is involved. Your idea of a lot is probably different than mine. A large amount to me is tens of pounds and up. Anyway, a great deal would shed more suspicion on you.

Anyway with that being said. If your roommate and friend are selling it, and you have no part in buying, storing, packaging, facilitating in anyway, no prosecutor would charge you. Now, that doesn't mean you couldn't be placed in a position where you have to defend yourself to the police. It doesn't mean you wouldn't be arrested. It just means that after it all came out in the wash, I seriously doubt you would be charged. It would mean however that you would probably have to implicate your friends to prove your innocence.

Am I suggesting you turn your friends in? No. I am suggesting you remove yourself from that living situation so you don't find yourself in a predicament in which you have to defend yourself.

Answer 2

MOVE OUT NOW!!

Even if it means sleeping on someone else's couch for a little while. When they get caught there is a very good possibility you will go down for it too and it's not worth the risk. You're friends aren't good ones if they won't respect the fact that you don't want to have anything to do with it.

Tell them if they're going to make so much money, they can afford for you to move out. Perhaps they'll think twice, but I doubt it. They've already shown where you stand on their list of priorities.

Answer 3

Not a good place to be. Easier said then done sometimes to just move out...
Guilt by association...and once you are made aware of the situation, yes you have a responsibility, a moral responsibility to act.
That said, I feel for ya.
You are in a bad and sad position. My thought is this...you don't want to be a party to their mess, but they are people ya care about, right? Well look at it this way, they, my friend don't care about you, and they don't care that they are breaking the law, and they don't care that they are putting themselves, and you in danger.
Think of your future and how it will be if you have to drag around a record. It is not fun filling out job applications in the first place, having a record doesn't make it any easier.
NOW,....
hope that makes it easier for you to choose.
Good luck.

Answer 4

I'm gonna tell you a story, and I think you'd do well to listen up. I went over to my cousin's friend's house, just to hang out. I didn't know what was going on throughout the whole house. The cops show up, find some contraband. No one fesses up, and therefore myself, along with everyone in the house, was taken to jail and charged with a very serious offence. Mind you, I was not doing drugs...I did not go there to get drugs...it was NOT MY HOUSE...I had NOTHING to do with it, and yet I was taken to jail and charged just the same because those who I think were guilty did not fess up. The charges against me were eventually dropped due to lack of evidence, but that's not the point. For several months I had this bullsh** charge hanging over my head- unnecessary stress. I had to pay thousands for a lawyer. And I lost a few good friends in the process. If I were you, I would convince them not to do it. Or kick them out, if you don't move yourself.

Answer 5

In the beginning of any law enforcement actions you would most definitely be treated as a suspect. Technically speaking you could be held criminally liable for just being in the home with the weed. However if your roommate and friends took the heat for it and admitted that you took no part in it, I doubt the DA would even try to prosecute you for it.

That being said, keep that crap out of your place. A little bud is no big deal, its just weed right? Well, tell that to the murderers that currently "own" the weed sales market in your area. When they find out who is selling on their turf, anyone in that house could be caught in up in retaliation. They will not think twice about getting rid of you guys. Its not "just weed" to them, its their business and livelihood. It will happen, trust me.

Answer 6

Nobody that lives in the house will get off. You'll all get rolled on when the man comes around. But, just in case you really can't get away, make sure they know that you know nothing about it if anyone asks. If they get busted, they better be prepared to go on front of a judge and say they hid it from you, which should help the judge to go easier on you if it comes to that. Good luck.

Answer 7

Guilty everyone in the house could be found guilty. You could probably get out of it with money & a good lawyer, but why risk. Your friends will get away with it until the cheesy rat comes in which I gurantee it will happen. I got nailed by a cheesy rat and went to jail for selling that crap!

Answer 8

In the very least you are guilty of Conspiracy. You KNOW the act is going to take place and you are doing nothing to stop it. Look at the Micheal Vick situation. The Feds got him on Conspiracy, and they kept trying to point that they don't even need to prove he was at the house. All that needs to be proven in a Conspiracy case is that the person had knowledge a crime was taking place and they did nothing to stop it.

Answer 9

Of course. You will get in a LOT of trouble with a LOT of pot in the house. That will then be "trafficking" which will mean a lose of your drivers license possibly FOREVER. My old man was caught with so little they could not even pick it up with their hands, they had to brush it into a bag, and he lost his license for 9mon. and $2500 in fines and TWO yrs probation at another $2500. And that was WITH an attorney! And it was his first offense. You really need to get them out of your house if you are on the lease or get out yourself. That is nothing to play with. You will never be able to get a job at McDonalds if you get caught. Be smart and think smart.

Answer 10

YOU HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. YOU CAN EITHER ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR DENY IT?

DENIAL WOULD BE TO DRAW AWAY AND NOT EVEN BE AROUND WHEN THE DEAL WENT DOWN.

I WOULD MOVE OUT AND FIND A SAFE HAVEN. YOUR GIRLFRIEND DOES NOT RESPECT YOUR WISHES AND IS NOT IN YOUR CHARACTER AND BEST INTEREST. ALL OF YOU COULD BE INDITED FOR SALES UNTIL THE POLICE FIND OUT WHO IS WHOM? YOUR GIRLFRIEND MIGHT EVEN LIE AND SAY SHE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH IT AND SELL BOTH OF YOU AS ROOMMATES DOWN THE STREAM.