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The first charges have been filed in a drug investigation that swept through Hancock Hall in the early hours of Wednesday, April 3.
Scott Turner, 20, the resident of room 362 Hancock Hall, was charged by Public Safety, the first agency to file charges on Turner, for two drug violations, including possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Noel March, director of Public Safety.
“The sort of activity that Turner may have been involved in is absolutely unacceptable,” March said. “All appropriate charges will be brought in this case and any other drug case that comes to the attention of university police.”
Public Safety, along with agents from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, spent much of April 3 in Hancock Hall investigating Turner’s room and removing evidence to be sent to the Federal Crime Lab. According to Christopher Garder, Public Safety investigator, those results will not be returned for several months because the lab has become backed up since Sept. 11.
“While the FBI was here [Turner] was in the hall. He was just standing there,” said Andrew McMillan, a first-year mechanical engineer major who lives on the third floor of Hancock. “He had an expressionless look on his face.”
The initial investigation turned up evidence of hallucinogens, and further investigation is likely to result in other drug-related charges.
“The district attorney and the U.S. attorney are reviewing the case in anticipation of additional charges for drug manufacturing,” March said.
Turner had two past run-ins with Public Safety. He was summonsed in December 2000 for drug possession and again in September 2001 for possession of alcohol by a minor, according to March.
As far as prosecution in Turner’s most recent charges, it is mainly in the hands of the district attorney and the U.S. attorney at this point, said Joe Carr, the news coordinator for Public Affairs.
“We never hung out with [Turner],” McMillan said. “He was always in his room. Obviously you could tell he was under the influence of drugs.”
Turner was immediately removed from his room in Hancock following the incident, and according to McMillan a heavy duty lock had been placed on his door.
“The day after the FBI left, he or someone else put a sign on the door that said ‘F*** the Police,’” said McMillan. “Basically it made him look like he was not regretful for what he did. He was just mad he got caught.”
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