Quechee man sentenced after marijuana bust
Toolbox
By Susan Smallheer STAFF WRITER - Published: December 15, 2009
BRATTLEBORO — A 41-year-old Quechee man pleaded guilty Monday to charges of possession of four pounds of marijuana and was sentenced to 60 days in jail.
After a plea agreement, District Judge Karen Carroll sentenced Paul Monaco to 18 to 24 months in jail, all of it suspended except for 60 days.
Monaco was stopped on Interstate 91 in Rockingham on May 12, 2008, for lack of a front license plate.
But Trooper Eric Vitali immediately smelled a strong odor of marijuana, and asked Monaco if there was marijuana in his Mazda truck.
Monaco admitted he had some marijuana in his truck's console, and handed over a couple of ounces of pot, saying they were for a friend.
But police affidavits noted that Monaco's hands were shaking and his voice was "weak and unsteady," and police asked to further search his truck.
When he refused, the police sought a search warrant from Judge Carroll, and had the truck towed to the Vermont State Police barracks in Rockingham, where it was searched. In a backpack, police found four bags which contained about a pound of marijuana each.
In all, the four bags weighed 64.20 ounces, with a worth of between $7,600 and $9,400, according to court records.
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