Man Hires Taxi To Run Drugs Cross-Country

[mrtonguetwista]

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. (AP) - A California man admits he hired a taxi driver to drive him and his concealed stash of more than 100 pounds of marijuana cross-country when they were stopped by a sheriff's deputy in Arkansas last year.

Brandon Coy Hill, 29, of Compton, Calif., pleaded guilty Tuesday in Pope County Circuit Court to possessing a controlled substance with intent to deliver. He was sentenced to six years in prison.

Under the plea agreement, charges were dropped against the taxi driver Erasmo Amaral, who helped authorities find Hill after Hill fled when the taxi was stopped.

``This is a classic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,'' Amaral's attorney Jeff Phillips of Russellville said.

According to court records, Hill hired the California cab driver to take him from California to Jackson, Tenn., under the guise of needing to attend a college function. Amaral's lawyer said Amaral was offered more than $2,000 to make the trip.

Twenty hours into the trip, Amaral was stopped Oct. 25, 2003, by Pope County sheriff's Lt. Scott Rentfro on Interstate 40. Rentfro said he was trying to get on I-40, and initially stopped Amaral because the taxi driver would not allow him to merge, staying in the right-hand lane. The officer said he also noticed Amaral was driving slowly and erratically, according to court documents.

When Rentfro stopped the taxi, Amaral gave him consent to search the vehicle, although Hill appeared nervous and fled on foot, according to the police report. Rentfro then discovered 109 pounds of marijuana in Hill's suitcase in the back seat of the cab.

Amaral was arrested. Hill was captured months later after police tracked him down through addresses supplied by Amaral, based on where he had initially picked Hill up.

Amaral said he did not know Hill had the marijuana. His lawyer said it was somewhat common for taxi drivers in California to make lengthy trips for people who need to get someplace in a hurry.

[Da WCC Hopar!]

i bet yall dat nigga new dat dat foo had the bud he probably offerd him the extra 9 pounds if he took him but it true about the drivfers gettin paid for long distance cuz like the planes that coodnt land in santa barbera or frenso cuz of fog or weather wood land in LAX and the taxis or super shuttle wood get paid wit a voucher to drive the passanger up to either location just the only differnce is dat the air line wood pay for the trip cuz of the stuation and not the passanger but this is still possible the only thing that gets me is dat didnt the driver wonder y the suitcase was so fuckin heavy cuz i can bet he helped that foo put it in the car cuz 109 pounds is a lot of weight

[white Boy]

thats not a bad plan... and damn.. thats a lot of weed

[Throwback]

Amaral was arrested. Hill was captured months later after police tracked him down through addresses supplied by Amaral, based on where he had initially picked Hill up.

did it take em months to go to his house? wtf.