posted on September 14, 2003 09:06:34 PM
Tommy Chong Sentenced on Drug Charges
PITTSBURGH (AP) - Tommy Chong, who played one half of the dope-smoking duo in the Cheech and Chong movies, asked for leniency from a judge Thursday but was sentenced to nine months in prison for conspiring to sell drug paraphernalia.
Chong's attorneys argued for no jail time, saying the actor and comedian would use his celebrity to become a role model against drugs and would dedicate his life to public service.
The 65-year-old apologized to the court and his family, saying he "got carried away" with his movie character. He admitted once having "a drug problem with marijuana" but said he beat it by redirecting his energy to salsa dancing.
"It's a Latin American dance that's awesome," Chong told U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab before the judge imposed the sentence, which included a $20,000 fine.
Chong said he's been working with youth groups, teaching filmmaking and speaking against drug use.
When they "saw that I was not the character that I played in the movies, they were surprised. Some were disappointed," Chong said.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Houghton said Chong grew wealthy glamorizing drug use and trivializing law enforcement in his films of the late 1970s and early '80s. Houghton also said Chong used the movie persona to promote his catalog and Internet business.
Chong admitted that his company, which operated as Chong Glass and employed 25 glass blowers, sold some 7,500 bongs and pipes until Feb. 14, when federal drug agents raided his California home and business. Authorities also seized about a pound of marijuana.
Richard G. Hirsch, one of Chong's attorneys, urged Schwab not to punish the actor for his films. "The government is asking you to blur the distinction between reality and satire," he said.
Chong's attorneys said the actor already has been punished: The case cost him a recurring role on the Fox sitcom "That '70s Show" and a planned reunion movie with Cheech Marin, with whom he co-starred in comedies including "Up in Smoke" and "Nice Dreams."
Along with the fine, Chong must forfeit more than $103,000. He'll also be on probation for a year after his release. The business, though defunct, was placed on probation for three years and its Internet domain name must be relinquished to federal authorities, along with any remaining paraphernalia.
Chong was allowed to remain free until federal prison officials tell him in a few weeks where to report to prison. He pleaded guilty May 13 to conspiring to sell drug paraphernalia and pleaded guilty on behalf of his business.
The plea came after federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents bought his paraphernalia and had the items shipped to an undercover business in Beaver Falls, northwest of Pittsburgh. Agents also confiscated his company's wares during raids of "head shops" in several states and confiscated "thousands of marijuana bongs and pipes" in a raid of his Gardena, Calif., business.
Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
posted on September 14, 2003 09:20:21 PM
I wonder what it cost to take this menace to society off the streets and away from our children?
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I want to have Ann Coulter's babies
posted on September 15, 2003 12:59:23 AM
I read in the paper about a woman addicted to crack sold her own children as prostitutes to support her habit. I say lock up drug dealers and throw away the key.
posted on September 15, 2003 05:08:17 AM
It would be great if they did target dealers more. Unfortunately, it's more often the users that are being locked up. Locking up a user does nothing to even rehab that user. He comes out of jail still addicted. I know someone who went to jail for the very thing. Spent 18 months in prison with no rehab program. Got out and went right back to taking drugs. His dealers were still around and approached him not two days after he got home. He's lost again. We tried to push to have him put into a mandatory rehab program but the powers that be thought prison would do him more good.
And, don't think these users that are picked up are going to spill their guts about who the dealers are. Most of these dealers will "kill" to protect themselves. They are ruthless, evil SOBs.
Cheryl
[ edited by CBlev65252 on Sep 15, 2003 05:08 AM ]
posted on September 15, 2003 05:37:23 AM
Mr Chong sold pipes not drugs. Holding him responsible for drug abuse is akin to holding stemware makers culpable for alcoholism.
posted on September 15, 2003 07:25:41 AM
Yes the dealers are ruthless and the cops useless, but there are ways.
Where I live now nobody does anything about them. But when I lived in Ohio there was an area that people did deal with them.
My brother in law became aware of a dealer when he tried to sell stuff to his little sister. We watched the house and yes he was selling.
The next day the BIL parked about three doors down and when the fellow came out to sit on his steps he took his big pontiac down the street - up over the lawn and wiped the steps off the front porch. Sorry to say this guy was quick enough to scramble off the steps and survived.
Three days later I had found a hill in the water tower park that by the map was 710 yards from his front door +/- about 3 yards. I didn't own a range finder. He was watching TV that night and had his back to the window when a nice Sierra boat tailed hollow point came through the window
must have missed by less than 3 inches and took the TV out. This guy had two kids so I did not feel free to walk fire across the floor where he probably was. Bullets were not good to stay whole anyway. I just hid the gun in the spot I had prepared and walked out the other side of the park. So that location was burned to use again. I didn't even try to recover the gun for a month.
The brother and law and I were considering other measures when it was taken care of for us.
A bunch of old Italian guys told the fellow at the local dairy store that they were all old Sicilians and it "offended their honor" for him to live there. When he got home from the store someone had put the black hand of death on his front door. The next day a whole long line of cars parked on the other side of the street and all these old Italian guys got out with gas cans and served him notice again and sat and stared at the house for hours.
That night he moved out in the middle of the night and the house was empty the next day.
Too bad he went to soil some other neighborhood - but that's theirs to deal with or not.
I live in Cleveland and we go after the dealers ourselves here as well. We have a house three doors down and we are positive there is drug dealing going on there (crack). Even though we have contacted the police on several occasions, there was no result. The final straw was when a taxi pulled into our driveway and sold stuff to them in front of our house! When my other half came out of the house wielding a shotgun, I think they got the message because the taxi took off quickly. It was kind of funny because one of the women living in that house was running down the street after him. She hadn't made her buy. The police may not be watching, but all the neighbors are. They used to regularly sell on our corner as well. There was a head shop located there and gangs would gather. Fortunately because it was gang related, the police took care of that one.
You cannot rely on our police for much. We usually have to police our own neighborhood.
Cheryl
[ edited by CBlev65252 on Sep 15, 2003 08:00 AM ]
posted on September 15, 2003 09:40:14 AM
People will continue to do drugs, whether they're illegal or not. The drug dealers will be replaced in a heartbeat if one goes to jail. The war on drugs is a losing battle. If drugs were legal, all that money spent could go to help the truly addicted instead of throwing everyone in jail. It's not working.
