A man arrested in the biggest “drug bust of the year” in Harris County, Texas, has been cleared after police realized it was kitty litter and not methamphetamine that they had arrested him for.
Police had pulled Ross LeBeau over for a traffic violation in December when they discovered what they thought was a large, half pound stash of methamphetamine hidden in a sock in his car.
LeBeau was arrested and spent three days in jail. The proud Harris County Sheriff’s Office was quick to send out a press release complete with LeBeau’s mugshot detailing the big bust.
“They thought they had the biggest bust in Harris County,” LeBeau said. “This was the bust of the year for them.”
However, LeBeau’s stash was nothing more than a supply of cat litter that his father gave him to keep in his car to reduce fog.
Despite two field tests conducted on the “meth” coming back as positive, a third test carried out in a forensic lab revealed the reality.
It isn’t clear how the first two tests were so glaringly wrong, but LeBeau said he doesn’t blame the police. He however does want an apology and said the arrest caused him to lose work.
“Ultimately it might be bad testing equipment that they need to re-evaluate,” his attorney said.
An HSCO statement read that LeBeau said he did not know what was in the sock, but later indicated on social media that it was cat litter.
“Regarding this incident all indication shows that the deputies followed basic procedures and followed established protocol related to this incident,” the statement read. “Because of the established procedures in place and this contraband was submitted to the Institute of Forensic Science it was determined not to be methamphetamine and charges were dismissed.”
Some people put kitty litter in a sock in their cars to help prevent windshields from fogging. DUH.
“Despite two field tests conducted on the “meth” coming back as positive, a third test carried out in a forensic lab revealed the reality.”
ALL field tests will come back positive, for meth, cocaine, pot, heroin, drunkenness, or whatever else the pig feels like arresting you for.
We’re way beyond the days where you can expect justice in a court, or common sense in a cop.
Never heard o fusing kitty litter for windshield fogging, I use it for cleaning up oil / liquid spills like oil dry, same stuff, just cheaper to buy it as kitty litter.
Silica crystals are the ones referenced here. I was only recently made aware of the humidity absorbing qualities of this non-clay cat litter. Great stuff, in fact I believe I sold my minivan with a couple socks-0-rocks in the back.
Wow musta been some good kitty litter! Next headline will be “texas cops busted with kitty litter in their systems”.
The pigs were idiots as usual here, but it might as well be pointed out that even if it HAD been meth in the guy’s car, that’s none of the pigs’ business. If someone wants to hurt himself by ingesting that stuff, it’s HIS health and HIS concern. Like alcoholism, bulemia, and anorexia, drug abuse is a medical problem, not a criminal matter.
The pigs will say, “It’s the law.” My response is, “F–k drug laws, f–k those who wrote them, and especially f–k you for enforcing them.” An unjust law is no law at all.
The only arguable exception is if someone is providing that stuff to children. But no one does that unless there’s some serious profit in it. That profit, of course, comes from the risk premium dealers earn due to prohibition.
What dope the pig turns out to be
“… hidden in a sock in his car.”
Only a total f’n MORON would believe that any tweaker is going to hide his most precious ‘resource’ in a freakin’ SOCK!
“Ultimately it might be bad testing equipment that they need to re-evaluate,” his attorney said.”
No, ultimately it’s BAD DRUG ‘LAWS’ that need to be re-evaluated, @SSHOLE!!!!!
Agreed.
I saw this story earlier today (started to post it, but was beaten to it LOL ) I could not stop laughing at the stupidity.
Unfreakinbelievable, Angel! 😯
I was stationed at Ft Bragg and a buddy called crying about his girl cheating on him. I was eating a bowl of vanilla ice cream at the time and took it with me. After finishing the ice cream I slid the bowl under the seat. I picked him up and we where talking in the car just off base. Barney Fife pulls up and throws on the lights. He asks to search the car and I tell him no. He walks around the car and after a few minutes comes back with a can that has holes in it. He says its a dope pipe and he has the authority to now search the car. We are cuffed and stuffed when Barney comes back with the bowl and a test kit. Yeap you guessed it, it came back positive for cocaine. They have like 15 cars now at out location and they are high fiving each other. They then turn us over to the Army with my coke-cream bowl. After about 3 hours of grilling the Army guy comes back in, hands me my bowl says its ice cream, get out. They refused to even give us a ride back to my car or my house. They towed the car and it cost me a fortune, just for being innocent .