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Aspen Teen Sentenced in Bus Stop Take Down Case

The teenager whose arrest involved a controversial take down by police was sentenced today to a year of supervised probation.

The charges of underage possession of marijuana and resisting arrest, which the boy pleaded guilty to last month, will be dismissed if the Aspen High School junior stays clean and out of trouble for a year.

Several conditions were attached to the sentencing, including routine testing for alcohol and marijuana, writing a letter of apology to the police officer who arrested him, attending school and possibly counseling.

During the hour-long sentencing in Judge Gail Nichols’ chambers, several individuals spoke in support of the 16-year-old getting help for his addiction to marijuana and the troubles he is having in school. His sister said the boy has had hard life and needs counseling to deal with his frustrations. His father was deported for the third time last week after being arrested for an alcohol related offense.

His lawyer, Ryan Kalamaya, said his client understands that he had a case to fight the possession charge because there is question about whether the officer had probable cause to arrest him. But in order to move on, he pleaded guilty. As part of the plea, two other charges — obstructing a peace officer and possession of marijuana paraphernalia — were dropped.

The student was approached by Aspen Police officer Adam Loudon on Feb. 8 on the suspicion that he was rolling a joint at a bus stop near the high school. After not complying with Loudon’s demand to put his hands behind his back, he was handcuffed and taken to the ground. After a search, marijuana was found in the student’s backpack. But 14 officers who responded couldn’t find any evidence of a joint in the area.

Aspen Police Chief Richard Pryor reviewed the case and has said he stands by Loudon’s response, based on the boy’s resistance.

On Monday morning, the student was accompanied by his mother, sister and a newborn niece. A high school counselor and an Aspen police resource officer were also there.

For full disclosure, Ryan Kalamaya is a member of the citizen advisory board for Aspen Public Radio.

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