Pubdate: Sat, 17 Nov 2001
Source: Brown Daily Herald, The (RI)
Copyright: 2001 The Brown Daily Herald
Contact:  http://www.browndailyherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/727
Author: Seth Kerschner

TWO BROWN U. STUDENTS ARRESTED FOR MARIJUANA

(U-WIRE) PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Brown University Police and Security arrested 
two Goddard House residents on narcotics violations charges early Thursday 
morning.

Christopher Hayes, a Herald staff writer, and Daniel Weiner were arrested 
and charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana, according to a 
Providence Police Department incident report.

While patrolling Goddard House at approximately 3:20 a.m., BUPS officer 
Kevin Pepere detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the room that 
Hayes and Weiner share, according to the PPD report.

After Hayes let him into the room, Pepere determined that the odor was 
coming from within the room and observed a marijuana pipe "in plain view on 
a desk," the report said.

Pepere read both suspects their Miranda rights and advised the students to 
turn over any additional narcotics and paraphernalia, the report said. 
Pepere's report stated that 19.4 grams of marijuana and four marijuana 
pipes were confiscated.

Both students were transported to BUPS headquarters for processing and then 
brought to PPD Central Station for further processing, the report said.

Earlier this week, BUPS arrested two Marcy House residents, also for 
possession of marijuana. In all four Wriston Quad incidents, Pepere was the 
arresting officer and the students were transported to PPD Central Station 
after processing at BUPS headquarters. Pepere could not be reached for 
comment Thursday night.

BUPS Sgt. John Williams told The Herald Thursday night that the arrests are 
not indicative of any change in the department's handling of narcotics 
violations on campus. He said BUPS has made no decision to crack down on 
narcotics violators or operate in any way differently than usual.

"Our policies haven't changed," Williams said.

BUPS officers have made regular walk-throughs of dorms, including their 
interiors, for "a number of years," BUPS Lt. Kevin Andrews told The Herald 
Monday.

BUPS declined to comment on any other aspects of Thursday's arrests.

According to the PPD report, Weiner and Hayes "were very cooperative with 
police during the investigation."

If convicted of the misdemeanor charge, both students could face up to one 
year in prison and/or a fine of $200 to $500 under Rhode Island law.

Hayes and Weiner both declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding 
their arrests.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart