Believing a friend had “bugged” his phone, wallet and eyeglasses, a Colorado man called Laramie County Sheriff’s office deputies on himself outside of Cheyenne, then helped them find his cocaine and marijuana.
Believing a friend had bugged his phone and eyeglasses, a Colorado man called Laramie County Sheriff’s office deputies on himself east of Cheyenne, Wyoming, then helped them find his cocaine and marijuana, court documents say.
Austin A. Stambene, 33, of Colorado Springs, now faces three criminal charges:
- Cocaine possession, a felony punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 in fines.
- Marijuana possession, a misdemeanor (because less than 3 ounces of marijuana are implicated) punishable by up to one year in jail and $1,000 in fines.
- Driving under the influence of drugs, punishable by up to six months in jail and $750 in fines.
Laramie County Assistant District Attorney Rocky Edmonds charged Stambene on Jan. 5, and his case rose to the felony-level Laramie County District Court on Tuesday.
Stambene called law enforcement at 6:41 a.m. Jan. 4 from the intersection of Aztec Drive and Christensen Road in Cheyenne to report a threat. Stambene said someone was “bugging” his vehicle and making threats, says an evidentiary affidavit filed in his case.
Laramie County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Grover went to the area and found Stambene in the driver’s seat of a 2002 Lexus ES with Colorado plates, and the motor running.
Stambene said a friend from Colorado Springs was harassing him about his late mother, who died 10 years ago. The friend started “bugging” Stambene’s phone, wallet, clothing and eyeglasses, Stambene reportedly claimed.
Stambene told Grover that he got new glasses, threw his wallet away and got his cellphone debugged, the affidavit relates.
Grover asked for Stambene’s driver’s license.
Stambene reportedly pulled his license from within a handful of dollar bills. His pupils were constricted, and he seemed nervous, the affidavit says.
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