Man Receives Drugs Hidden In Candy Boxes

[Powerman620]

Reading the comments under story got me to thinking, Did employer have right to open package? How can police be sure the drugs were there in first place?


http://www.koco.com/news/25798243/detail.html

OKLAHOMA CITY --- Willy Wonka makes plenty of candy, but none with OxyContin.

Oklahoma City police arrested a man after they said he received a package of Nerds candy boxes filled with OxyContin.

The sweet-tooth pain-relieving package arrived at a Wireless Riggs where 23-year-old Matthew Farris worked, but police said he wasn’t there when it arrived.

Farris’ employer and owner of the company, Christopher Green, said he was visiting his business when FedEx arrived with a package.

Green told police he wasn’t expecting a package and noticed it was addressed to Farris. Green told police it is against company policy for employees to have packages or mail sent to the business.

Green opened the box and told police he found several boxes of Willy Wonka’s Nerds candy. Green opened one box and found the candy, but then he told police after looking at the other boxes, he found candy mixed in with OxyContin.

Green said he called police immediately after the discovery.

According to the police report, Farris called Green at work to ask if a package came for him and that he was getting off school early to receive it.

Green along with another worker took matching boxes of Nerds candy off the business’ shelf and placed them in Farris’ package while the boxes of OxyContin were given to police, the report said.

Police said when Farris arrived he asked for the package so he could go see his mother.

However before Farris could leave, officers said they placed him under arrest.

After searching Farris’ belongings, police said they found a glass pipe with drug residue and marijuana.

Police said Farris is charged with several drug-related charges including intent to distribute and possession of a controlled dangerous substance without a prescription.

 

[deja]

Did employer have right to open package?

Absolutely. It wasn't federally carried, it was delivered to his premises.

 

[Pstmstr]

even if sent USPS and addressed to the business address, the owner can open it. I worked at the US Disciplinary Barracks at Ft Leavenworth when I was in the USMC and we had an inmate get a box of chocolate covered cherries in the mail. The top row was all mashed up and underneath that part was several joints. Kind of clever, but busted anyway.

 

[Cedar Creek]

It seems like the business owner may have made the situation more complicated than neccesary. He was already there because the guy was stealing from him, then found he was using his premises for a dope house. Should have left the police out of it and given him a good beat-down with a tire iron - truck stop justice.



Cedar Creek

 

[ExtremistPullup]

I worked at the US Disciplinary Barracks at Ft Leavenworth when I was in the USMC and we had an inmate get a box of chocolate covered cherries in the mail.

Sounds like a completely different situation.

 

[EXD 45]

I went to high school with this kid....sad sad story....
His parent founds marijuana when he was a sophomore and kicked him out of the house after they found it the second time....

 

[jstaylor62]

Absolutely. It wasn't federally carried, it was delivered to his premises.

I disagree. Unless the company had a written policy forbidding the receiving of personally addressed mail and packages, then this person had a reasonable expectation of privacy. By the owner opening the package and turning over the contents to the police, he violated his employee's expectation of privacy and probably made the contents inadmissible in court as evidence.

It will be interesting to watch the legal argument on this issue.

 

[WhiteyMacD]

Other than the kid's background, who is to say Mr Green didnt plant the drugs to throw off cops from a bigger more profitable drug selling scheme? Perhaps Mr Farris, in an attempt to thwart his cravings for Marijuana became a rabid sugar addict. All he was wanting was some nerds... Mr Greene planted the oxys!!!!!!!!!!!!