Community | February 20, 2011 | 137 comments

Oklahoma Mom Doing 10 Years For $31 Worth Of Marijuana

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bundlebear
Because of $31 in marijuana sales, Patricia Marilyn Spottedcrow is now serving 10 years in prison, has been taken away from her four young children and husband, and has ended her work in nursing homes.
Three days before Christmas, Spottedcrow, 25, entered the Eddie Warrior Correctional Center.
“I'm nervous … because it's prison … people I don't know,” she said.
“People said don't get too comfortable here or you'll be here longer. Don't make too many friends. Come and do your time and get out.”
Marijuana transactions
On Dec. 31, 2009, Spottedcrow and her mother, Delita Starr, 50, sold a “dime bag” of marijuana to a police informant at Starr's home in Kingfisher, court records state.
Starr handled the transaction and asked her 9-year-old grandson — Spottedcrow's son — for some dollar bills to make change for the $11 sale.
Two weeks later, the same informant returned and bought $20 of marijuana from Spottedcrow.
The two women were arrested for drug distribution and because Spottedcrow's children were in the home, an additional charge of possession of a dangerous substance in the presence of a minor was added.
“It just seemed like easy money,” said Spottedcrow, who says she is not a drug user but has smoked marijuana. “I thought we could get some extra money. I've lost everything because of it.”
The women were each offered plea deals of two years in prison. But because neither had prior convictions and the drug amounts were low, they gambled and entered a guilty plea before a judge with no prior sentencing agreement.
Starr received a 30-year suspended sentence with no incarceration, but five years of drug and alcohol assessments. Spottedcrow was sentenced to 10 years in prison for distribution and two years for possession, to run concurrently. She will be up for parole in 2014.
‘Cried for days'
Starr claims the cases have been “blown out of proportion” by lawmen and criticizes the sentences as stiff. “It shocked me and we cried for days,” she said. In addition, Starr was fined $8,600 and Spottedcrow $2,740.
“Never in a million years did I think I'd be here 10 years,” Spottedcrow said of prison.
“We were under the impression we would get probation. When I left for court, I just knew I was coming back home. It hit me like a ton of bricks. There were no goodbyes, they took me away right then. How do you tell your children you are going to prison? How do you prepare for this?”
Former Kingfisher County Judge Susie Pritchett, who retired in December, said the women were conducting “an extensive operation” and included children in the business.
“It was a way of life for them,” Pritchett said.
“Considering these circumstances, I thought it was lenient. By not putting the grandmother in prison, she is able to help take care of the children.”
A presentencing investigative report prepared by the Department of Corrections rated Spottedcrow's risk of re-offending as “high” and recommended substance abuse treatment while incarcerated.
“It does not appear the defendant is aware that a problem exists or that she needs to make changes in her current behavior.”
Spottedcrow was unemployed and without a stable residence when arrested, the report states. The family lost their Oklahoma City home for not paying bills.
“When she needed money … this is the avenue she chose rather than finding legitimate employment,” the report states. “The defendant does not appear remorseful … and she makes justifications for her actions.”
‘Kids are involved'
Pritchett said on first drug offenses, sentences are usually suspended and may require treatment or random drug tests.
Only if there are other more serious circumstances is a first-time drug offender sent to prison, she said.
“When kids are involved, it's different,” Pritchett said.
“This was a drug sale. When I look at someone in front of me, I'm thinking, ‘What is it going to take to rehabilitate this person?' We look at their attitude and other factors.”
When Spottedcrow was taken to jail after her sentencing, she had marijuana in her jacket. She pleaded guilty to that additional charge Jan. 24 and was sentenced to two years in prison and fined nearly $1,300. That sentence also will run concurrent with her other conviction.
Spottedcrow has four children — ages 9, 4, 3 and 1 — and is determined to keep her 8-year, common-law marriage intact. “It's been really hard on my husband,” she said. “I know a lot of things can happen, but he'll always have my back and be there.”
Her son is aware of what has happened, but the girls have been told their mother is away at college.
“I missed my daughter's fourth birthday, and I'll miss her fifth one too. My other daughter just started talking, and I'm not there to hear her,” Spottedcrow said.
“My baby woke up … and doesn't know where her mommy is. This is the hardest thing to do, and know I can't do anything about it. I just have to focus on myself and take it day-to-day and plan for going home. I will want to see my kids at some point. I'm trying to take this slow. I can't get depressed about it.”
Oklahoma's two prisons for women — the maximum-security Mabel Bassett in McLoud and minimum-security Eddie Warrior in Taft — housed 2,622 prisoners last year.
Of those, 48 percent are serving time for nonviolent drug offenses and 22 percent for other nonviolent offenses such as embezzlement and forgery.
Of the 1,393 women received by Oklahoma prisons last year, 78 percent were identified by DOC as minimal public safety threats.
Most nonviolent offenders are housed at Eddie Warrior, an open campus with a walking track and six dormitories.
‘I'm already changed'
Spottedcrow knows she will need to find a new job skill because her work in the health field won't be there because of her incarceration. She would like to open a boutique.
“Even though this seems like the worst thing … I've been blessed along the way,” she said. “It could have been worse. I'm happy my kids are safe and, ultimately, I'm safe. I'm thankful I still have a family.”
In a year, Spottedcrow will have a review and hopes to shorten her time in prison.
“I'm already changed,” she said. “This is a real eye-opener. I'm going to get out of here, be with my kids and live my life.”


Read more: http://newsok.com/how-31-of-pot-gave-mom-a-10-year-prison-sentence/article/35425...
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137 comments // Oklahoma Mom Doing 10 Years For $31 Worth Of Marijuana

  • LivingPong
  • Ken_Huffman
    • +1
      Ken_Huffman  

    • The people who listen and praise Fox news are being led with fear and religion. The republicans wanted to privatize Social Security also "where would we be now" ? We have to write and show them that we "the 90% of working Americans" are fed up with the ruining of our society. The corrupt politicians,judges and lawyers along with the drug cartels are making big money on their so called war on drugs. We need to legalize pot and tax it. This would take the cash cow away from the slime that we know as our legal providers! They would like to privatize all working Americans, then they would have slavery back.

    • 2 years ago
  • mikeywes
    • +1
      mikeywes  

    • and these judges would probably free an abortion provider's murder on humanitarian grounds.....what is happening in the Middle of the US?

    • 2 years ago
  • Ken_Huffman
    • +2
      Ken_Huffman  

    • The same judges and lawyers that convict all of the pot smokers and put them in prison are the owners of these prisons and jails or get big buck kickbacks. We tax payers are spending big money to keep the innocent or railroaded poor souls in these hell holes. Between 2012 and 2016 we must get rid of the crooked politicians that have privatized the prison system and created the cash cow that it has become for the rich and corrupt justice system. The best thing that ever happened for these judges and lawyers was the criminalization of pot.

    • 2 years ago
  • sffsmessiah
  • slimcat
    • +5
      slimcat  

    • It's no secret, and never has been, that we do not have equal rights under the laws of our country. You can be sure that if Patricia Spottedcrow had the means ($$MONEY$$) to defend herself, we wouldn't be reading this story and she might not have gotten so much as a slap on the wrist. But then, she wouldn't have needed to sell weed to make ends meet, either.

      Also, I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn that Judge Susie Pritchett has a steak in Oklahoma's private prison business and got a nice bonus for her decision.

    • 2 years ago
  • mollydarling
  • FtheBULLSHT
  • shanklinmike
  • shanklinmike
  • RMattnerTours
  • Chaliq
  • cclark_productions
  • Numbz
    • +5
      Numbz  

    • Really?
      What a waste of money keeping her in jail for 10 years.
      She didn't rob anyone, she didn't kill anyone, why the hell is she getting 10 years?

      Ridiculous.

    • 2 years ago
  • mollydarling
  • NC54
    • +3
      NC54  

    • if this had been about Beer (which is far more dangerous than cannabis) the consequences would have been a lot different...

    • 2 years ago
  • jimbones2045
    • +1
      jimbones2045  

    • I'd love to legalize and tax it. Get the people who don't deserve to be in prison out of there. But in our country that's impossible right now. The national debt is so high that people are willing to do anything to meet their quota. Like announce the end of an ongoing war overseas and then not pulling out any of our troops. Causing an oil spill and trying to make everyone forget about it. Locking up innocent lower class citizens just to help the national economy.

      The only thing we can do is wait for the government to cross the line with all of their bullshit policies and we can stand up for what's right in protest. March to prisons and protest our parent's/children's unjust incarceration. Write our senators and congressmen daily saying the same things so they have to eventually do something productive.

      We think that we have to keep our traditions and policies that we've had since the beginning of our country's greatness. Like gun rights, and health care, and alcohol distribution, and religion, and imperialism, and democracy. But what we don't understand is that when you try not to grow up you hold in all this energy and pent up frustration and eventually you burst.

    • 2 years ago
  • Brandon_Vale
    • -4
      Brandon_Vale  

    • 'Spottedcrow was unemployed and without a stable residence when arrested' This was her full time job all while having her kids around it 24/7. That's no way to raise children.

      “I thought we could get some extra money." LOL....They were also offered 2 year plea deals and turned them down. Seems like they keep making the wrong decisions!

    • 2 years ago
  • Persecuted
  • Persecuted
  • artemis6
  • dking28906
  • KSirys
  • covertops
    • +2
      covertops  

    • How is this justice? Thirty one dollars of MJ. This is flipping ridiculous. I agree that the son should not have been involved in the act of making change. The charges would not be in the favor of the informant if the son was not witnessed in proximity. On the other hand it is such drastic punishment on first time offense. Also, don't show up to court with shit in your pocket.....duh

    • 2 years ago
  • floydyboy
  • NC54
    • +6
      NC54  

    • but Wall Street Titans can crash the economy, bankrupt states & pension funds, send thousands into foreclosure then to shelters... AND NOTHING HAPPENS!

    • 2 years ago
  • moneybags
  • FtheBULLSHT
  • damush
    • +2
      damush  

    • protect and serve my ass. she got served when there was nothing for the police department to do. The law concerning it's profit margin for incarceration has to be maintained or our economy falters. Where else are they going to keep the traditions of the slave trade relevent?

    • 2 years ago
  • sugarmountian
    • +1
      sugarmountian  

    • By having prohibition the government can keep prices high on drugs insuring that people (mainly low income people that can't afford a good lawyer) will try to make a easy buck.
      How backward are the people in OK. to allow this judge to ruin this familys life?

    • 2 years ago
  • mollydarling
    • +1
      mollydarling  
    • sugarmountian:

      It really has a lot to do with private prisons. There are people out there that make a lot of money off of the government by locking people up. The military has the same problem. Recruits use to learn to cook and run a kitchen. Now they're served by big caterers, who make a lot of money off of the government. The government pays out too much money to private firms that charge way more than it should.

    • 2 years ago
  • GrannyLib
    • +3
      GrannyLib  

    • Is there any public organized support system for Patricia Spottedcrow or her family? Anyone know? They will make her stay the whole 10 years without it.

      (Never forget: Leonard Peltier or Ruby Ridge/Wounded Knee...never forget. Do not let the memory die.)

    • 2 years ago
  • good_stuff
  • noxidereus
    • +2
      noxidereus  

    • I don't know how the cops/lawyers/judges who victimize the people this way sleep at night. Can people really be ignorant enough to really think they are doing right by the people? Or do they really just not care and just feel good about exercising their power... because it makes them feel... powerful? I think taking pride and joy in ruining other people's lives makes someone a piece of shit, so that is how I feel about the undercover cops, the prosecution, the judge, etc... They are just about on par with terrorists in my book. I see all people who use fear/violence/power to cause harm to others in the same way.

    • 2 years ago
  • chief_longhair
    • +6
      chief_longhair  

    • a very large percentage of the people in our prisons are in for non violent minor drug offenses,, the for profit corporate prisons love this because these inmates are easy to handle and problem free,,, easy money,, easy profits,, another example of ignorance of us americans,, legalize pot now!!! and release all those non violent inmates.............

    • 2 years ago
  • mollydarling
  • bambuu
    • +7
      bambuu  

    • Oklahoma must be one hellish place to live. What do you expect from a state where 72% of it's citizens voted to banned their first amendment rights, what do you expect where 71% of its citizens didn't even know who the first POTUS was.

      Oklahoma is one of three states that has the highest imprisoned to civilian population in the country (657 per 100,000).

    • 2 years ago
  • dinm76
  • nanac
    • +4
      nanac  

    • It has a lot to do with race/class. Numerous people are caught with large quanities of drugs, and they get off with probation...This is so unfair..

    • 2 years ago
  • ReMarker
  • savroD
    • +7
      savroD  

    • Just a reminder to those who call themselves as independent and/or try to cling to this idea that the middle is the sensible place to be, you have been bought and paid for by the corporate clowns running our country through republiCONs and democRATs. Even the far libertarians are with the far left on that stuff like this is stupid and wastes taxpayer dollars; however, you have this whole bunch of , holier than though misfits, pretending to have common sense while complaining about the defecit and cost of government. Hey stupids.... what about the cost of p[ puitting someone in jail for 10 years for pot!

    • 2 years ago
  • BenjaminDover
  • sugarmountian
  • United_Federation_of_legalize_weed
  • samthesixth
  • noxidereus
    • +3
      noxidereus  
    • samthesixth:

      If it isn't about the pot then what do you think would have happened if she was selling cupcakes instead -- exact same scenario with the only difference being the cupcakes in place of the pot? Of course it is about the pot. Marijuana prohibition was based on lies, profit, and control over the American citizens. This story is an example of the failure of our government to do what is really best for its citizens. It is an example of oppression and lies doing damage to real people's lives.

    • 2 years ago
  • samthesixth
  • Persecuted
    • +1
      Persecuted  
    • samthesixth:

      i can understand how someone who doesnt agree with marijuana would see this as a great offense... to those of us who smoke marijuana regularly or interact with marijuana in one way or another regularly... its no big deal...

    • 2 years ago
  • Persecuted
    • +1
      Persecuted  
    • Persecuted:

      infact... common household cleaners are far more dangerous to her children than marijuana... even plastic is more dangerous... even freshly cut grass to a child with allergies is more dangerous than marijuana being in their presence

    • 2 years ago
  • hombre76
    • +2
      hombre76  
    • samthesixth:

      Yes the sentence is a manditory sentence of 10 years for the posession. oklahoma has a no tolerance policy like navada used to have. once apon a time seeds would get you a 3 year manditory sentance in navada.

    • 2 years ago
  • samthesixth
  • hombre76
    • 0
      hombre76  
    • samthesixth:

      yup not probly even an old law just back in the 80s under ragan when they all freaked out on crack they just lumped all drugs into a manditory sentencing structure federaly then certain states took it to the extream.

    • 2 years ago
  • danitassin
  • GrannyLib
    • +2
      GrannyLib  
    • danitassin:

      Not all attorneys at law are bad. I happen to think bankers, current politicians, and Wall Street Gamblers are much, much, much, much worse! I rather have a lawyer than any of them any day!

    • 2 years ago
  • Persecuted
  • United_Federation_of_legalize_weed
  • bambuu
  • BenjaminDover
    • +3
      BenjaminDover  

    • I think her real problem was in laying her fate to the hands of a judge. Under W (war criminal) gonzales' justice department specifically appointed judges who agreed with their con, regressive ideology. Turd Blossom (rove) spent alot of money last election on down ticket races for things like judges. These con bastards have been stacking the deck for so long no judge should ever be given control over the outcome of a case.
      Unless you're a corporation then you go judge shopping and throw yourself on the tender mercies of the Honor.

    • 2 years ago
  • Indywingnut260
  • Angeliron
    • +3
      Angeliron  

    • "Dangerous Substance"? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? Of all the things in a Home and Garage in the average household, they call it a dangerous substance! If our AMERICAN GOVERNMENT WASN'T MAKING SO MUCH MONEY IMPORTING DRUGS TO SUPPORT THEIR LIFESTYLES!, we'd all be makin' rope and growin' dope, for fun and medicine! Give us all a break!

    • 2 years ago
  • pjacobs51
  • alexandrek
  • samthesixth
  • alexandrek
  • HeroMAY
  • samthesixth
  • alexandrek
  • Persecuted
    • 0
      Persecuted  
    • alexandrek:

      i grew up in a home with my mother in and out of the prison system... hers was for crack cocaine... i spent most of my childhood and early teens crying myself to sleep, needing my mama... she was taken away from me but i could understand the damage caused by crack cocaine... she did a lot less time for crack than this lady is doing for 30 bucks worth of weed.... i cant imagine the court system ruining the lives of those children for something so petty... its really terrible

    • 2 years ago
  • ConcernedAboutRFuture
  • Persecuted
  • ConcernedAboutRFuture
    • +3
      ConcernedAboutRFuture  

    • Justice.....Oklahoma style. And the Trail of Tears continues..... as long as the right wing continues to dominate these states that is. Hey, at least it's more money for our now FOR PROFIT prisons..... and more of our tax dollars wasted.....but someone's making a profit... that's all that matters in this country.

    • 2 years ago
  • Robert_Cortez
  • EvilDoer
  • KSirys
  • lifestudentno83
    • +13
      lifestudentno83  

    • Woman caught selling 30 dollars in weed to undercover cop: 10 years.
      Corporations caught cutting cost and skimming off the top: Slap on the wrist.
      Hypocrisy in the land of the free: Shameless.

    • 2 years ago
  • BenjaminDover
  • KSirys
  • Aurere
  • Chopstick
    • -8
      Chopstick  

    • It's kinda amusing to watch our society enforce this strict idealized image of what a "normal" family should look like. Should she do time? Yes, according to our laws. Not 10 years for pushing a plant in a non-violent manner. The main issue here is the children being involved. Were they in an environment that was limiting their potential in life? Were they fed, clothed and sheltered? Abused? We can only assume.

      I have a problem with involving the children in the transactions. If this is the way you are putting food on the table, then at least protect your young children from such an environment.

    • 2 years ago
  • treewolf39
  • Weedy_Seadragon
  • Saladin
    • +17
      Saladin  

    • This country is such a such a fucking joke, it's embarrassing.

      We are so low as a nation, as states, as a society and as individuals that I cannot fathom how we'd ever rise to the top again.

      Great job officers, you really served justice today. Put a mother behind bars for a victimless crime. And the crowd will cheer you for it, because they're so fucking braindead that they don't even care. They just want to see someone go to jail.

      Pretty much, from this point forward, anything that happens to us we more or less deserve. Because this shit is out of control.

    • 2 years ago
  • twinite
    • +11
      twinite  

    • This is so screwed up.....10 years for trying to scrape by while the banking crooks and wall street swindles get away with.....well, with whatever they want.

    • 2 years ago
  • hombre76
  • August_K
    • +9
      August_K  
    • hombre76:

      Hundreds of thousands and this is just ONE case........but if you are a rich crook like Rich Scott when his Insurance company defrauded Medicare for Billions......you get to pay a little fine, step down as CEO, get rewarded with a 150 Million golden parachute and walk away and then become the current Governor of Florida.

      From what I've read just recently his "budget" proposals include moving Medicare folks into private "managed care" programs and to push for private schools with parents getting "vouchers" for their kids education....even as the news is filled with stories about these schools defrauding the government out of subsidy money by inflating their true enrollment numbers.

      We know where that motivation comes from.......he's making sure Corporate America profits every way they can. His budget proposal also calls for the corporate tax rate to drop while he slashes the safety net for the neediest and makes cuts to other essential programs that people depend on.

    • 2 years ago
  • hombre76
    • +8
      hombre76  

    • Insted of a war on poverty,
      they got a war on drugs
      so the police can bother me!
      And I never did a crime I did'nt have to do....

      TuPac Shakur

    • 2 years ago
  • KSirys
    • +17
      KSirys  

    • Sell weed and get 10 years..... steal from the people, get money from the government and start stealing again... get a fat bonus check!! and a job in our government.

      Yep, that makes sense!

    • 2 years ago
  • Persecuted
  • artemis6
  • Schnookums
    • +13
      Schnookums  

    • Think about all the money this woman generated, and the GDP added to the economic activity of the United States.

      There was paying the undercover officers to bust her, her arrest, the initial detention, investigation, prosecution, lawyers fees, and the judicial & court costs. Of course there are the (totally unnecessary) prison bills to incarcerate her for the next 4-10 years. Then there will be the parole people to pay for when that time comes.........

      This woman is a goldmine! No wonder we have more people per capita in the criminal justice system than anyone else in the world!

    • 2 years ago
  • August_K
  • HeroMAY
  • Persecuted
  • bundlebear
  • lifestudentno83
    • +8
      lifestudentno83  
    • hindotka:

      Since you're okay with paying non-violent criminals to go to jail, then how about you go to the government and directly give your hard-earned money to the FBI and the state correctional facilities. That way you can fund separating parents and children directly, and feel better about locking up people whose only crime was possession of a virtually harmless plant.

    • 2 years ago
  • Weedy_Seadragon
  • EdJoyProductions
  • KSirys
    • +6
      KSirys  
    • hindotka:

      How about the wall street assholes that stole from the people? how about them? they are THIEF'S AND LIARS! and what did they get when they were found guilty? a slap on the wrist, money from the government and a fat bonus a year later... where you this passionate when that happen? or were you kissing their ass??

    • 2 years ago
  • lifestudentno83
  • ConcernedAboutRFuture
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