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Suspect in Le Roy Village melee over stolen pot jailed

By Billie Owens

The Le Roy Police Department arrested warrant suspect James J. Santiago Jr., of 31 Myrtle St., Le Roy, after he turned himself into the Le Roy Police Department accompanied by his attorney.

The arrest stems from the intensive investigation into the disturbance which occurred Jan. 23 at his address in the village in which three persons were sent to the hospital for knife wounds to the arm, neck and chest, respectively.

The police were able to determine that this disturbance was the result of an alleged robbery of two ounces of marijuana.

It is alleged that between 10 p.m. and midnight Friday, Jan. 22, people from Le Roy, including Santiago, ordered two ounces of marijuana from a person in Batavia. The marijuana was delivered and the deal was to take place in a local parking lot. During the transaction, the marijuana was allegedly forcibly stolen by Santiago who then left the area.

The person who brought the marijuana called others from Batavia notifying them of the robbery at which time six people drove to Le Roy to attempt to get the marijuana back.

The group arrived in Le Roy and walked to Santiago's residence where they allegedly confronted Santiago demanding the return of the marijuana. When he refused, an alleged violent physical altercation occurred involving a knife and golf clubs. Afterwards, the group fled the area without the marijuana.

Santiago is being charged with one count of robbery 3rd (forcible stealing of the marijuana), assault 2nd (assault with a weapon) and criminal possession of a weapon 3rd (possession of a weapon with intent to use against another and having been previously convicted of a crime). All charges are Class D-Felonies. Santiago was arraigned before the Hon. Charles Dusen of the Town of Le Roy Court and committed to the Genesee County Jail without bail.

The Le Roy Police were assisted in this investigation by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, the Genesee County Drug Task Force, the New York State Police and the Genesee County District Attorney’s office.

Gabor Deutsch

I bet the lawyer will have a field day with that charge unless the pot was "turned in or found". {one count of robbery 3rd (forcible stealing of the marijuana)}

Feb 3, 2010, 1:08pm Permalink
Doug Yeomans

This gives several reasons to legalize. Pot deals go down wherever it's convenient because of it being illegal. Parking lots may be private property so unless you're there to patronize the establishment that owns the lot, you could be trespassing.

Nobody "deals" alcohol in a parking lot because it's legally sold in a store. You can go into a liquor store and see people you know. It's a friendly environment.

If pot were legal, deals wouldn't happen at all, probably not even in stores. It's far too easy to grow your own, far easier than making your own alcohol. Stick a seed or 2 into your garden and let it do its thing. Legalizing would end the pot war if that's what you want to call it. Idiots will still be exhibiting the same behaviors that this bunch just did, just not over pot.

Feb 3, 2010, 1:40pm Permalink
Adam Riexinger

Doug, obviously everybody has their own opinions and they are entitled to them and I think the majority of the people who read this will not side with you. However, I see your points and while they may be valid it leaves me with one major question. If marijuana is legalized to be sold like alcohol in stores what happens to the drug dealers? I would think that the majority of drug dealers do what they do because either they need money or they got mixed up in the wrong crowd. So, now that marijuana is legalized where do drug dealers turn? The obvious answer to me would be hard drugs such as crack, cocaine, meth, etc. Now granted there might not be the demand for hard drugs as there is for marijuana but is it really worth the trade-off?

Feb 3, 2010, 2:25pm Permalink
Dave Olsen

Adam, who cares what happens to the dealers? They are currently criminals, and will most likely continue their behavior with something else; the same as the bootleggers did after prohibition ended. And like all criminals, sooner or later they'll screw up and meet John Law. Reference the above article.

Feb 3, 2010, 6:53pm Permalink
Julie Morales

“They are currently criminals, and will most likely continue their behavior with something else; the same as the bootleggers…”

Something else like politics? ; )

Feb 3, 2010, 7:59pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

I may have linked to this before, but this is an interesting video about how <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/steven_levitt_analyzes_crack_economics.html">b… a drug dealer is really a poor career choice</a>

Here's the description of the video:

"Freakonomics author Steven Levitt presents new data on the finances of drug dealing. Contrary to popular myth, he says, being a street-corner crack dealer isn’t lucrative: It pays below minimum wage. And your boss can kill you."

Drug dealers aren't drug dealers because they can't find a job and need the money. They're drug dealers because they think it might be glamorous, or because they're anti-social types.

Have you ever heard of a drug dealer busted in Genesee County who was living in a nice house, driving a new car, wearing lots of gold and diamonds?

That doesn't seem to happen around here.

The drug dealers don't seem to be in it for the money. There are less risky occupations available that pay more money, like flipping burgers at McDonald's.

Feb 3, 2010, 8:28pm Permalink
DOUGLAS MCCLURG

Thought a melee was a country dance-yippy..yi..i..o..

weeze goint take a ride toos leroooy and gets that weeds back.Is he hasa nife..eyes show yous how to take its aways from him..

......Nice job To the law Inforcement In Ivolved.......
.......7 years divided by 7 mennaces to society........

Feb 3, 2010, 8:48pm Permalink
Conor Flynn

First of all, there is certainly nothing inherently "bad" or "wrong" about the use of marijuana- certainly nothing more than is wrong with alcohol. The only reason it's illegal in the US is because of a political nightmare. http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/why-is-marijuana-illegal/

Second, you can't keep marijuana illegal in order to keep so called "dealers" from progressing to drugs of a harder nature. It doesn't make any sense to allow one illegal activity occur in order to prevent what some consider a more serious illegal activity from occurring. If that's the case, then the first activity should be legal anyway.

Feb 4, 2010, 9:03pm Permalink

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