Wyoming Man Admits to Felony Drug Possession

An Ethete man arrested in April during a traffic stop on US Highway 287 admitted Thursday in Albany County District Court to bringing a felony amount of marijuana from Colorado to Wyoming.

Levi Alan Redman, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance. In exchange for the guilty plea, Prosecutor Kurt Britzius plans to recommend Redman be given first-offender treatment, which would likely mean deferred prosecution for Redman.

Judge Jeffrey Donnell made clear to Redman that the state's recommendation is not binding on the court, and Redman could very well find himself stuck with the maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Redman was arrested April 22 after an Albany County Sheriff's deputy stopped a silver Chevrolet TrailBlazer traveling northbound on US Highway 287 near mile post 403. Court documents say the TrailBlazer had no license plate light.

While asking the driver, Redman, for his identification and proof of insurance, the deputy noticed marijuana all over Redman's pants. As the deputy moved to the other side of the vehicle, he saw Redman brush his pants off.

The deputy asked how much marijuana was in the vehicle, and Redman said there was one loaded marijuana pipe and offered to give it to the officer. When the deputy said he would deal with the pipe during a search of the vehicle, Redman reportedly insisted on handing over the pipe and a female in the back seat pleaded for the deputy to send them away with a warning.

The deputy asked the three to step out of the vehicle. A search turned up 604 grams of marijuana including packaging and a pipe containing burnt and raw marijuana.

Court documents say one of the passengers, 21-year-old Lynn Ray Brown, Jr., told officers in a police interview that he and Redman each bought four ounces of marijuana for $150 per ounce while in Colorado for the April 20 "holiday."

"It was a holiday for the four-twenty holiday; a common drug reference," Britzius said in court Thursday.

"So you and Mr. Brown went down to the celebration in Denver to take advantage of a sale?" Donnell asked Redman. "And you got caught coming home."

Redman said he is addicted to marijuana. Donnell made it clear that he expects Redman to take steps to treat his addiction before returning for sentencing.

"I'm serious, Mr. Redman," Donnell said. "If you're telling me it's an addiction, you better deal with it."

Redman remains free on $7,500 signature bond. A sentencing date will be set pending completion of the presentence investigation.

Brown admitted to one count of possession of a controlled substance last month. The state will also recommend first-offender treatment in that case.