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Former candidate for state senate will stand trial on marijuana charges
Marlene Garcia | Lahontan Valley News | 9/23/2005

A former candidate for the Nevada State Senate will stand trial on allegations he sold 11.7 ounces of marijuana to an informant working with police in 2003, a judge ruled Thursday.

Justice of the Peace Dan Ward told John K. O'Connor to appear in district count on Tuesday to enter a plea to sales of a controlled substance. Ward found there was enough evidence presented at a preliminary hearing to send the case to trial.

O'Connor, who unsuccessfully ran against Sen. Mike McGinness, R-Fallon, last year for a senate seat, is accused of selling the marijuana for $80 to a woman working with the North Central Narcotics Task Force in December 2003.

The informant and two task force officers testified about the case.

Jared Jones, a Churchill County Sheriff's Department deputy who was the lead task force investigator on the case, said the confidential informant approached authorities with information about O'Connor selling drugs. The task force set up a "buy" where the woman purchased marijuana from O'Connor at his McKay Court home.

"We had no interest in Mr. O'Connor until the informant came forward," Jones testified.

Courtney Morris testified she bought the marijuana after calling O'Connor at his home on Dec. 5, 2003. She said the defendant had an ice chest with four baggies of marijuana at his residence, and she was given the choice of which bag to purchase.

"I chose the one that was the largest," she said.

Morris said she worked for the task force for about two years and was sometimes paid for her information, but didn't receive money in the O'Connor case. She also said she had a "purely sexual" relationship with O'Connor about seven years ago.

Defense attorney Jim Sloan asked investigator Jones why O'Connor was not charged with any crime until almost six months after the alleged marijuana buy and was a candidate for state office.

Sloan also questioned why authorities did not serve a search warrant to recover the rest of the marijuana reportedly in the house and to recoup the $80 the task force had given to Morris to make the buy.

"We often do not file a case right away because we don't want to burn the (confidential informant)," Jones said.

Shortly after his arrest, O'Connor said his only affiliation with marijuana was under a medical marijuana program. He said he became involved in the medicinal use of marijuana because of his father, who suffers from severe arthritis and uses the drug to ease his pain.

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Buzzby

This guy shouldn't have been arrested. He should be given a medal. I wish I could find someone who'd sell me 11.7 oz. for $80!

Does this sound fishy to anyone else?

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gob

Could they have made a mistake....11.7 grams sounds more like $ 80's worth.

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PooFoot

meh. 80$ for 11.7 oz would be ridiculous- itd have to be almost exclusively oreggeno.

Even at 80$ / 11.7 g its still just some lower quality regs or schwag depending on your area.

king cola

When i saw that he sold 11.7 ounces for $80 i had to re read that twice. If that was the correct amount i wish i was friends with this guy. 11.7 grams would sound more realistic but who knows. If they didn't make a mistake then that's just unbelievable, was he drunk when he made that sale?