A Colorado couple is behind bars after they unknowingly tried to purchase a used car from a police officer with black-market marijuana.
‘You want to know the truth? I saw that text, and I started giggling,’ Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell told The Gazette on Tuesday.
Mikesell said he was contacted by 39-year-old Shawn Langley via text message on November 27 shortly after placing an advertisement on Craigslist looking to sell his SUV.
When Shawn Langley (R), 39, arrived along with 41-year-old Jane Cravens (L) on November 28, they were met by undercover detectives
Court records show that Langely and Cravens were charged with possession of a large quantity of marijuana with intent to sell
But to Mikesell’s surprise, Langley offered to buy the car with marijuana instead of cash.
Langley even sent the Mikesell a photo, boasting of the contraband’s quality.
‘I was really surprised and I thought at first, “Maybe this is a joke,”’ Mikesell said.
Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell was suprised about the offer and thought it was a joke and showed it to department detectives
Mikesell said he showed the texts to detectives the next morning, who quickly setup a sting for Langley at nearby Woodland Park.
When Langley arrived along with 41-year-old Jane Cravens on November 28, they were met by undercover detectives, who placed them under arrest after completing the transaction.
Upon searching the duo’s vehicle, they recovered at least four pounds of homegrown pot, according to the Teller County Sheriff’s Office.
Mikesell said that the bust is indicative of a larger problem in the area, with illicit drug sales transpiring under the nose of local law enforcement everyday.
‘It just highlights (that) it’s here, it’s in our local communities,’ Mikesell said. ‘There was a very sobering side of that, as law enforcement,’ he added.
Court records show that Langely and Cravens were charged with possession with intent to sell – one misdemeanor count for a small quantity, and a felony count for a larger amount, the Gazette reported.
Recreational marijuana is legal to poses in Colorado, which limits individuals ‘one ounce of marijuana’ for anyone over the age of 21. There are 16 ounces to every one pound of marijuana.
Recreational marijuana is legal to poses in Colorado, which limits individuals ‘one ounce of marijuana’ for anyone over the age of 21 (Pictured: Teller County, suburb outside of Denver)