Clerk Convicted Of Selling Meth Ingredient (10 Bottles of Cold Medicine Could Bring 10 Years)

The Oklahoman ^ | Oct. 2, 2003

[Wolfie]

CLERK CONVICTED OF SELLING METH INGREDIENT

ENID -- A convenience store clerk has been convicted of selling an over-the-counter decongestant used to make methamphetamine. Claude Allen McFalls, 70, sold 10 bottles of cold medicine to an undercover police officer at Mac's Mart No. 1 in Enid. He was convicted Wednesday of unlawful sale of precursor substances.

McFalls could face up to 10 years in prison.

McFalls testified that he did not hear most of what Sgt. Kevin Morris said to him during the sale last August. The clerk said he would not have sold the pills if he understood the officer intended to use them to manufacture methamphetamine.

Morris said McFalls initially refused to sell him more than five bottles of pseudoephedrine tablets, even though he complained he could not cook up much dope with that many pills.

"I said, 'It's kind of hard to make meth when you can only get five bottles at a time,'" Morris said.

McFalls eventually consented to sell Morris another five bottles if he went out to his car for a few minutes then re-entered the store, the narcotics officer said.

Selling pseudoephedrine is not illegal unless the seller knows it is intended to be used for manufacturing methamphetamine.

McFalls was one of seven people arrested Aug. 22, 2002, on charges of illegally selling pseudoephedrine.

McFalls' sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 2.

[SouthernFreebird]

A 70 yr old man....this is ridiculous.

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[Wolfie]

Thought you all might enjoy a Drug War story where can all rally round the "lock 'em up and throw away the key" mentality again.

[ctlpdad]

so they set up a 70 year old hard-of-hearing guy? way lame.

Ping MrLeroy for your WOsD stuff

[talleyman]

Should have sold him 10 boxes of tissues to go with it...

[cryptical]

Safer than going after tweakers guarding a real lab, and the stats look just as impressive.

[MotleyGirl70]

Apu was seen running from the, well, scene

[MrLeRoy]

a 70 year old hard-of-hearing guy

Obviously a menace to society. I feel safer knowing law enforcement is running stings on such demons.

[steve-b]

"I said, 'It's kind of hard to make meth when you can only get five bottles at a time,'" Morris said.

Morris' witness that he actually made this statement as part of a "sting" that would embarass a Keystone Kop is...?

[Atlas Sneezed]

What's wrong with sending clerks to jail for failing to pay rapt attention to what their customers are saying?

[RonHolzwarth]

I am not a lawyer, but this sure sounds like a case of entrapment to me!

And the clerk is 70 years old? Can't live off of social security, and so he WORKS! Or maybe he works so he is productive,,,

SHIT!!!

I think he is entitled to a LOT of damages from the municipality that the undercover cops work for!!! Like, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!!! I hope he gets a sharp lawyer and WINS!!! I don't usually say or even think that though.

And, I also think the jury box was STUFFED!!!

I could point out exactly where the COPS SHOULD be looking!!! (where I live, anyway!)

Everyone here knows where most of the drug deals happen!

But, that would be RACIST!!!

[Jaded]

Ditto.

[freeeee]

Textbook entrapment, and a new low all in one.

[Protagoras]

A 70 yr old man....this is ridiculous.

It's ridiculous for more reasons than that.

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[tioga]

How is this illegal? Just hit ten stores and buy one in each. Lame, brain-dead idiots wrote this law. Still don't believe it even exists.

[vin-one]

even more ridiculous, is that he is already found guilty.

American justice at it's best.....

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I feel so much safer now.

[Wolfie]

How is it illegal?

Well, they passed a law, of course. ;)

But seriously, you're right that the 5 bottle limit won't stop serious meth cooks, but it does give the cops a nice toy to play with for racking up arrest numbers.