Chavez Braden was recently arrested after officers observed a hand to hand transaction on Lafayette Street. During the search subsequent to arrest, a small plastic baggie was found, and contained a white rock lick substance. It was tied and appeared to be crack cocaine. When questioned, Braden admitted it was drywall dust he picked up from the ground and put it in a baggie to make money, and he sold it as crack cocaine during the previous hand to hand transaction witnessed by officers. Braden was charged with ‘SELL, DELIVER, OR DISTRIBUTE COUNTERFEIT CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES (T.C.A. 39-17-423)’
Officers observed the defendant carry out a hand to hand transaction with another subject while standing next to the side wall of the Staff Zone at 20 Lafayette St. The defendant was stopped, and a probable cause search revealed a small black plastic baggie containing a rock like substance. The baggie was tied and presented as if it was a baggie of crack cocaine. The defendant volunteered that the baggie contained dry wall and that he had just found it on the ground. Under Miranda, he admitted that he had just sold the substance during the observed transaction and that he portrayed the substance as crack during that transaction. The substance did not test positive for a cocaine base. The defendant also had $45 in small denominations (mostly one dollar bills) in his pocket which is consistent with narcotics sales.
Braden was sentenced to 45 days in jail.
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