Parking Ticket Leads to Cranston Arrest

As reported by Bryan Rourke in the February 7, 2011 edition of the Providence Journal, a routine parking ticket led to an arrest.  A Cranston police officer ticketed a driver for parking in a handicapped parking space without a handicapped placard.  When running the driver's license, the officer found the license was suspended and that the driver had an outstanding warrant for felony assault.

The driver was arrested and his vehicle impounded.  Inside the vehicle, police found Oxycontin.  He is now facing additional drug charges for possession with intent to deliver.

Oxycontin is a schedule 2 narcotic drug.  Pursuant to Rhode Island General Law 21-28-4.01, it shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, deliver, or possess with intent to manufacture or deliver a controlled substance.  The penalties include:

It shall be unlawful for any person to manufacture, distribute, or possess with intent to manufacture or distribute, an imitation controlled substance. Any person who violates this subsection is guilty of a crime, and upon conviction shall be subject to the same term of imprisonment and/or fine as provided by this chapter for the manufacture or distribution of the controlled substance which the particular imitation controlled substance forming the basis of the prosecution was designed to resemble and/or represented to be; but in no case shall the imprisonment be for more than five (5) years nor the fine for more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000).