According to court documents, a man from Colorado called the Laramie County Sheriff’s office deputies on himself after suspecting that his friend had bugged his phone and eyeglasses. The incident took place east of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Remarkably, the man not only confessed to his suspicions but also assisted the deputies in locating his stash of cocaine and marijuana.
Austin A. Stambene, a 33-year-old resident of Colorado Springs, is currently facing three criminal charges.
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- 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.
Possessing cocaine is considered a felony, which can lead to a maximum prison sentence of seven years and fines amounting to $15,000.
Possessing marijuana is considered a misdemeanor offense due to the involvement of less than 3 ounces of the drug. This offense can lead to a maximum punishment of one year in jail and fines amounting to $1,000.
Driving under the influence of drugs can lead to severe consequences, including imprisonment for up to six months and fines amounting to $750.
Laramie County Assistant District Attorney, Rocky Edmonds, filed charges against Stambene on January 5th. On Tuesday, the case was elevated to the felony-level Laramie County District Court.
Someone’s Bugging My Eyeglasses
At 6:41 a.m. on January 4, Stambene contacted law enforcement from the intersection of Aztec Drive and Christensen Road in Cheyenne to report a threat. According to an evidentiary affidavit filed in his case, Stambene claimed that someone was tampering with his vehicle and making threats.
Deputy Jason Grover from Laramie County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the location and discovered Stambene seated in the driver’s seat of a 2002 Lexus ES. The vehicle, which had Colorado plates, was also running at the time.
Stambene claimed that a friend from Colorado Springs had been harassing him about his late mother, who passed away a decade ago. According to Stambene, this friend began “bugging” his phone, wallet, clothing, and eyeglasses.
According to the affidavit, Stambene informed Grover that he had acquired a new pair of glasses, disposed of his wallet, and had his cellphone debugged.
Grover requested Stambene’s driver’s license.
According to the affidavit, Stambene withdrew his license from among a few dollar bills. His pupils appeared constricted, and he seemed to be nervous.
Stambene was asked by Grover if he knew where he was.
Stambene responded, saying that he chose to relocate to Cheyenne, Wyoming. He explained that he didn’t have any acquaintances there, but he felt the need to distance himself from his friend in Colorado Springs.
No Alcohol, Just Cocaine
Grover inquired Stambene about his consumption of alcohol or drugs prior to driving to Cheyenne.
Stambene claimed that he didn’t consume alcohol, but he did admit to using cocaine the previous evening in Colorado Springs.
Deputy Grover administered field sobriety tests to Stambene in order to ensure his ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. However, Stambene faced difficulties while performing the tests.
According to Stambene, he stated that during his journey to Cheyenne, he made a brief stop in Fort Collins and indulged in the simultaneous consumption of cocaine and marijuana.
He then drove to the Walmart on Livingston Avenue in Cheyenne, patiently waiting for it to open. He made some purchases and continued his journey, as stated in the affidavit.
Here You Go
According to Grover, Austin confessed that he had cocaine in his jacket pocket and also admitted to having marijuana in the trunk of the vehicle.
According to the affidavit, Stambene granted permission to Grover and another deputy to search the vehicle.
Stambene even assisted the deputies in locating the drugs by providing a description of the black jar containing marijuana, which was found in a box in the trunk. Stambene’s cooperation helped the deputies to locate the black jar more easily.
Grover wrote in his report that Austin informed Deputy Martinez about the presence of a Ziplock bag containing more green leafy substance under the box in the trunk. Austin also assisted Deputy Martinez in locating the bag.
According to the affidavit, Stambene was handcuffed by Grover while Deputy Martinez continued to retrieve drugs from the vehicle.
Stambene agreed to have his blood drawn, and Grover accompanied him to the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center for the procedure.
Martinez conducted tests and measured 13 grams of suspected cocaine and 6 grams of suspected marijuana found in Stambene’s vehicle.
Possessing cocaine becomes a felony if the weight of the drug in powder form exceeds 3 grams.
Possessing marijuana is considered a misdemeanor when the weight of the drug in its plant form is less than 3 ounces.
The case of Stambene is still ongoing.
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