Drug charges against college student dismissed

Roxbury Court Number: 05-1798. On April 15, 2005 a local college student was charged in the Roxbury District Court with possession with the intent to distribute Class C and Class D substances and with doing so within 1000 feet of a school zone. The charges carried a minimum mandatory two year period of incarceration. The complaint stemmed from a four month investigation during which local police received numerous complaints that the defendant was selling marijuana and “psychedelic mushrooms”. On several occasions, police arrived at the defendant’s dormatory room and smelled the odor of burnt marijuana. Police learned from confidential sources that the defendant kept the marijuana and other substances in a gray lock box. On April 15, 2005, armed with a search warrant, police searched the defendant’s room and seized the lock box. The lock box was forcibly opened and located inside were “psychedelic mushrooms”, marijuana and other items consistent with drug distribution. Our office filed and argued motions to suppress claiming that the search and seizure of the gray lock box was unlawful and in violation of the defendant’s constitutional rights. A District Court judge agreed and on April 10, 2006 all charges were dismissed.