Bogley

[Iceaxe]

RRFW Riverwire – GROUP ARRESTED AT LEE’S FERRY
January 29, 2006

Five members of a non-commercial river trip were arrested at Lee’s Ferry, Arizona, on Saturday, January 27, 2007, for possession of controlled substances. The five were part of a group of 14 preparing to launch a 30 day trip rafting through Grand Canyon.

The group was breaking down their camp and awaiting final trip orientation when they were approached by a National Park Ranger at the arrival of Coconino County Sheriff and Arizona Department of Public Safety officers.

The Law enforcement personnel subsequently arrested the five following a search of the group’s tents and watercraft with a drug sniffing dog based on a citizen’s tip of drug use. The dog detected a small amount of drugs. According to one of the trip participants, 3 ounces of marijuana were seized.

The five people were then taken into custody and appeared before a Page, Arizona judge in separate hearings. It was determined that misdemeanor charges would be brought in all cases and they were released on their own recognizance pending a future court date.

Since National Park Service policy allows any individual who has registered to call in and claim any available trip opening, a remaining member of the group, Mike Grijalva, immediately requested to claim the aborted trip launch. Mr. Grijalva registered to be considered for the lotteries held in the fall of 2006. He was advised by the National Park Ranger on duty that there were no available cancellation dates. The group then re-packed all their gear onto trailers, and returned to Flagstaff, Arizona, in an attempt to salvage the trip.

As of Monday, January 29, 2007, employees at the River Permits office at Grand Canyon National Park confirmed that there were indeed unclaimed river trips on Feb 1, 2 and 4, but Mr. Grijalva was informed by Park officials that none of the trip participants could claim any of the available dates, because of their association with the 5 individuals who were arrested and later released.

“It appears the Park overreacted,” notes Jo Johnson of River Runners for Wilderness “and is penalizing people who were not involved in any wrongdoing. Those folks have the same right to a permit as any one else, the launch is available and they are ready to go. It is hard to see the Park’s justification for denying them a coveted opportunity to launch based on their association with individuals who may never be convicted of any crime.”

[RedMan]

One member of the group, a Mr. William Clinton, expressed outrage at the apparent guilt by association declaring "I did not inhale".

Humor aside, this sucks. This is why your mother told you not to hang out with "those bad kids".

[Iceaxe]

I'm not a pot smoker.... but isn't 3 oz a really small amount? I mean damn.... Isn't standard practice for something like this just issue a ticket?

Now I can see why our NPS is going broke. I mean damn.... with all the permit work and "major" drug busts.

30 day rafting trip would require a minimum of at least 10 cases of beer just for me.

:cheers:

[Sombeech]

Iceaxe wrote: I'm not a pot smoker.... but isn't 3 oz a really small amount? I mean damn.... Isn't standard practice for something like this just issue a ticket?

Now I can see why our NPS is going broke. I mean damn.... with all the permit work and "major" drug busts.

Same here. I snicker at the thought of them for getting busted with pot, but there goes another [how much money did this cost?] down the drain.

[Iceaxe]

Anyhoo..... I guess its good to know the NPS has now paid for and trained good dope sniffing dogs :bandit2:

[Rev. Coyote]

Pot smoking on a RIVER TRIP!?! Who ever heard of such a thing? My gracious! They probably had beer, too. Wretched miscreants. Thank GAWD they're in custody so they can't hurt any decent members of society.

[scoutabout]

Iceaxe wrote: I'm not a pot smoker.... but isn't 3 oz a really small amount?

3 oz is quite a bit. So I've heard. Although it's barely enough to last 5 buddies a week much less a month. So I've heard.

Seems like the NPS could be putting time in somewhere else. It was in response to a complaint. Most likely some jackarse in the remaining members of the group. Give me a break. Some guys are smoking pot. Shocking.

Really?

[donny h]

Iceaxe wrote: based on a citizen’s tip of drug use.

Who picks up the phone and calls the feds because they saw someone smoke pot?

An ***hole, that's who.

3 ounces for 5 smokers for 30 days? I would call that a medium amount, worth about $1200 for good pot, $300 for Mex.

Federal drug charges are always dire, these 5 are gonna lay out some SERIOUS cash to deal with these charges, and they could do time.

They probably would be in less trouble if they got caught running the GC without a permit.

[Iceaxe]

donny h wrote: worth about $1200 for good pot

Now I know why I'm not a pot smoker :lol8:

That's the cost of half a dozen strippers and a case of Tequila :bandit:

And there is no way in hell smoking pot could be that much fun :haha:

:popcorn:

[donny h]

Iceaxe wrote: That's the cost of half a dozen strippers and a case of Tequila

Dude, you must have the kind connections, I could only get 4 strippers and a bottle of Mescal for $1200. :haha:

[Iceaxe]

donny h wrote: I could only get 4 strippers and a bottle of Mescal for $1200.

You must have got the cute strippers..... You get a better deal if you buy the "Butter" strippers..... :2thumbs:

[Iceaxe]

RRFW Riverwire – GROUP ALLOWED TO LAUNCH
January 31, 2007

Members of a non-commercial river party who had their permit revoked shortly before their scheduled launch on January 27, 2007 have been able to claim an unused permit.

The group had originally intended to launch from Lee’s Ferry, Arizona, for a thirty day rafting trip through Grand Canyon to South Cove at Lake Mead. On the morning the group was to launch, the river runners were approached by law enforcement officials and a drug-sniffing dog. The dog detected drug paraphernalia and according to a trip participant, three ounces of marijuana were seized.

Five of the trip’s members were taken into custody and appeared before a judge that afternoon in Page, Arizona. Misdemeanor possession charges were brought against all five individuals, who were released on their own recognizance pending a future court date.

Despite the National Park Service’s policy which allows any individual who has registered to call in and claim any available trip opening, a remaining member of the group, Mike Grijalva, was denied when he immediately requested to claim the aborted trip launch. Mr. Grijalva had previously registered for the lotteries held in the fall of 2006 and was eligible to claim any unclaimed or cancelled date.

The group was assured by the River Permits Office on the following Monday that there were unclaimed river trips on Feb 1, 2 and 4. However, Mr. Grijalva was again denied one of these permits on the basis of his association with the 5 individuals who were arrested and later released.

One of the river party members called Senator Harry Reid’s office, and one of his staff contacted Grand Canyon National Park officials on his behalf. Subsequent negotiations between Senator Reid’s office and Grand Canyon National Park officials today resulted in Mr. Grijalva being awarded an unclaimed launch date for February 2, 2007.

According to Mr. Grijalva, his initial request was to include all the trip participants, but the Park Service was hesitant to allow this due to the earlier infraction. Mr. Grijalva then requested that the nine individuals not charged in the initial investigation be allowed to participate in the new launch and this request was granted.

“It’s a shame the folks who were not implicated were initially denied even when they followed park procedures,” said Tom Martin, Co-Director of River Runners for Wilderness. “It shouldn’t take Congressional intervention to get them what they are perfectly entitled to as citizens.”