A Maryland man faces charges after allegedly selling marijuana alongside frozen treats out of an ice cream truck. WRC-TV's Darcy Spencer reports.
A Waldorf, Md., man faces charges after being busted for allegedly selling drugs out of an ice cream truck.
After receiving a tip through Crime Solvers, Charles County sheriff’s deputies found bags of marijuana and a stash of cash in a truck operated by 20-year-old Alexander Hoskins, authorities said.
“Ice cream or marijuana, you can take your pick with this guy,” said Diane Richardson, of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
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Police stopped the truck at Bayswater Court and Sheffield Circle. They found the marijuana and cash in Hoskins’s underwear.
He apparently had been dealing from the truck for some time, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
“We wish we got that call just a bit sooner so we could have found more drugs, but what we did find was significant enough to show that he had been dealing it, and for us, we’re removing a drug dealer off the streets,” Richardson said.
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Hoskins was selling to teens and young adults through word of mouth, authorities said.
He was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
Hoskins is out on bond and out of business, authorities said. He won’t be selling ice cream again anytime soon.
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Sounds like an episode of 'Shameless'
What a great marketing tool .... selling pot from a truck that caters to people with the munchies.
I'd order a screwball from the screwball. Glad they caught him.
Why choose? Obviously you'll need both.
I am glad they caught this guy because he was selling to kids, not just adults. If adults want to smoke a little marijuana, I really do not have a problem with it. It is no more harmful than drinking alcohol and should probably be legal. I do, however, have a major problem with anyone who sells to kids, the same way I would have a problem with someone selling alcohol to kids.
oh my gosh not a pot dealer. Good thing we got this guy off of the streets. Next thing you know he would have been involved in a violent crime. BS. Give him a fine and send him on his way.
JS in SD,
We don't agree on a whole lot, but on this one I'm with you 100%.
BTW, this is not a new concept. Cheech and Chong already did this in Nice Dreams (the sign on their truck added the N and replaced the C with a D).
I didn't think that ice cream men selling weed was considered to be such an uncommon thing as to warrant a national news story.
He even looks like Big Worm lol (Friday)
while I fully believe the stuff should just be legal and regulated exactly like alcohol I'm still glad they got this guy off the streets. he was selling to kids and I wouldn't support a guy selling liquor to children either.
Yeah, no selling to kids. Geez, perhaps if cannabis was legal, regulated, monitored and taxed, we could have caught this guy LONG before now.
The pot is FAR less dangerous than the ICE CREAM!
I didn't know Big Worm moved to Maryland!
I had the same thought when i saw his pic jsfoo.
jsf00 & EROCK17 - I just had to make sure someone referenced Big Worm.
and in other news... unemployment in Waldorf, Md jumped up a point.
LOL Cheech n' Chongs Nice Dreams all over again...
The ice cream truck in my nieghborhood only has ice cream to offer. Damn!
Find the neighborhood that has the Good Humor man.
Is that a joke. Good Humor man. A joke right. Just kiddin LOL. Im from Wyoming what do you expect.
Sad waste of taxpayers money to prosecute pot dealers.
I'd agree with you if the guy was only dealing to adults, but he was obviously targeting kids with his cover business. The article also explicitly stated he was selling to teens. Selling to consenting adults I'm okay with. Minors, not so much...
I scream, you scream, we all scream for *cough* ack, I can't scream I have cotton mouth.
aaaaamen!!!!!!!!!!
Sad waste of taxpayers money to prosecute pot dealers.
Odd how alcohol kills thousands of people though liver disease and horrible car accidents, but everyone focuses on POT which tends to keep the user quiet and at home minding his own business?
It isn't the fact for me that he was selling pot, I drink and choose not to smoke. My problem is he was selling to kids, I would beat someone down if they ever sold pot or alcohol to my children and I were to find out about it.
I fully support the legalization of marijuana, but as things are today, I think busting pot dealers is profitable for the police. They can confiscate the ice cream truck and sell it to raise revenue.
In addition to a few baggies of marijuana and cash, my local PD confiscated flat screen TV's from the homes of two drug dealers that were raided in the past year.
Another nearby local PD has two fully equipped Harley-Davidson police motorcycles with plaques that read "This equipment was purchased with funds confiscated from a drug dealer". I pass through that town on a regular basis and the only time I've seen those H-D's on the road is during the fourth of July parade.
Some PD's may used confiscated funds for equipment they actually need, saving the taxpayers money, rather than buying parade toys.
"I'd agree with you if the guy was only dealing to adults, but he was obviously targeting kids with his cover business. The article also explicitly stated he was selling to teens. Selling to consenting adults I'm okay with. Minors, not so much..."
Of course the cops are going to say that. But do they actually have proof of it? Its also a good reason to legalize it and regulate it. As long as it's underground in the black market anyone will be able to buy it.
When I was a kid, we had an ice cream man that did the same thing. He would sell to anyone. He closely resembled a cross between Tommy Chong and Danny DeVito. That was in the early 80's. I had not yet tried pot. Years later I would wish that he would come back around.
Having my own teenage daughters now, I would agree with most on here about not selling to kids. However, if he had only sold to adults, then I would support his endeavor.
Years ago there was a fast food place, I think Jack in the Box that was selling drugs from the drive thru window. Got busted and were no longer in business. No, I never went there.
Jack in the Box is a big national chain which is definitely still in business. When you say not there any more you must be referring to the particular store that got caught. This incident was how they got the nickname Crack in the Box.
JS, you are exactly correct. That location went down.
Back in the late 80's and early 90's (she was around for a long time), we had a british lady who sold pot from her ice cream truck in my neighborhood. I was just a kid, so didn't think too much of it, but now I'm pretty sure that this can't be that unusual. I never bought from her, as I wasn't a smoker, but I knew of people who did. As far as I know, she was never busted.
This poor smuck will go to prison and have a longer term than those that commit manslaughter, white collar criminals, and many others. He didn't force anyone to buy his pot or harm anyone. Our "war" on drugs is wasteful, misguided and has strange priorities.
william,
"Poor smuck" and "didn't...harm anyone"? You're kidding. What the hell do you think is financing all those murders in Mexico?
Unreal!
Richard, you are the one that is 'unreal'. Marijuana sales in the US do not have any significant impact on the murders in Mexico. California grows and distributes more pot than Mexico ever will. Perhaps you should consider cocaine, heroin, and meth as the culprits. Wake up!
Actually, being that the Mexican cartels are the ones growing most of it, you are wrong.
He was selling to children.... "
Hoskins was selling to teens and young adults through word of mouth, authorities said."
The utterly misguided and counterproductive 'War on Drugs.'
Americans don't WANT to buy from Mexico, we are forced by the FAILURE that is the DEA and ONDCP. Legalize, regulate and TAX it, and I will happily buy from Farm John, instead of Farmer Juan.
And if it were legal and regulated, this guy would have been busted LONG before now. NO SELLING TO KIDS!
Richard, If you knew anything about pot you would know that most weed in the US does not come from Mexico anymore. They are more in to coke and meth imports now days. That crap they grow down there is nothing compared to what many people are growing in their closets.
"
"Poor smuck" and "didn't...harm anyone"? You're kidding. What the hell do you think is financing all those murders in Mexico?
Unreal!"
Prohibition, the war on drugs, is the cause. It creates a black market with high profits that breeds criminal activity. Its a waste if time an money and is a total failure.
I know quite a bit about cannabis and Mexican cartels still get the majority of their income from MJ. They also use MJ sales as a funding device to move other drugs across the border. Believe it or not many people still smoke Mexican schwag.
Now who is buying their product I am not sure. I would venture to guess its more so minorities, the poor and teenagers. I base this off my own personal experience for what its worth.
"Got a Drug Dealer off the Streets"
Can they stop already, it's legal in 12 states and over half the people in this country think it should be legal. They hardly cleaned up the neighborhood or took a dangerous man off the streets.
Not that he should have been allowed to continue, my objection really is with the so proud cop quote. Drug dealer in his state, liquor store owner type in others.
my only objection is the young adults to teens, meaning some were most likely under 18. if you're legal it should be legal for you to smoke pot if you want.
What Ice Cream man does not do this?
Scott, it's legal for MEDICAL USE ONLY.
And that's a presumption that "half the united states believe it should be legal", only means HALF think it's @!$%# and should still be illegal.
Most drug dealers kind of up their ante. What happens if it was a cute girl? 14? 15? "Hey there, want some pot?...oh you don't have any money, why don't you step into the back of my truck and we'll figure something out."
HE WAS DRUG DEALER! He used the sham of an ice cream truck as a scam, in order to do something he perfectly KNEW to be illegal.
You want to do something that's illega? Then change the laws to make it legal. Until then...don't be an idiot.
Anyways, drug dealers should all be executed. Even that @!$%#, who probably didn't give a @!$%# that he was selling to adults or children.
Please move to Iran or Saudi Arabia, you probably would fit in a lot better over there.
Not a presumption, it's supported by nearly every poll done on the subject. Need I remind you that the last 3 sitting presidents all smoked pot at one time or another?
http://www.gallup.com/poll/150149/record-high-americans-favor-legalizing-marijuana.aspx
Now who's presuming things....
Wow... just wow... "Death to those who have different views than me! Yeeeehaaaw!!!"
You do realize how insane you sound, right? Consider this: for 200,000+ years of human history, we have had no laws restricting the use of "drugs." We survived. In the last 150 years or so, we've legislated a whole host of laws governing the use and distribution of these substances which has served only to foster a violent underground network of suppliers and increased the cost of law enforcement exponentially (Obama's budget is 31 times Nixon's budget when he first declared the "war on drugs" and availability is higher now than when we started. Talk about a black hole in our annual budget-- but hey, maybe you like wasting money. Here's a clock where you can watch the federal government throw your tax dollars in the toilet at a rate of $500/second: http://www.drugsense.org/cms/wodclock)
Why should Key have to move out of the country because of a disagreement over whether or not something should be legal with you? Maybe you should move out of the country if you're so against an opposing opinion. Hey if you choose Pakistan you can stone, burn or beat to death your wife if she doesn't agree with your every utterance. Just remember to claim she dishonored you by pointing out your thoughts were not the end all-be all of life.
The most abused drug, causes more property loss, more economic problems (personal and social) more wasted families, more medical problems (except for tobacco), more senseless deaths, and the list goes on, than any other drug in America? Alcohol! Check the stats. So during your self-righteous attack on "drugs" I have but one question. How many drugs will you drink today? I am a very fortunate person. 28 years ago I decided I had a problem and did something about it. I did it all. Booze, pot, speed(meth of the day). I do none of it now and judge no one, but, if I had my choice of what I would live next to I would take a pot head over any of it. That's just me-and a few hunderd million more.
So then they should execute the heads of Seagram, Bicardi, Annheiser Busch, etc. You said execute all drug dealers. Alcohol is a drug with very severe consequences to society you commie
I think making someone leave is FAR less ridiculous than killing all drug dealers. What would Pfizer's parents say?
Key if pot dealers should be executed then so should liquor store owners, pharmacist and anyone selling un-healthy food such as MCDonalds, Burger King etc.
Thanks for your input American Taliban.
"Most drug dealers kind of up their ante. What happens if it was a cute girl? 14? 15? "Hey there, want some pot?...oh you don't have any money, why don't you step into the back of my truck and we'll figure something out.""
LOL Please this isn't heroin and a stung out 15 year old girl. Stop watching reefer madness videos
I've never heard of anyone anywhere selling their body for pot. This ain't crack.
I will be glad for the day when marijuana looses the enigma of "drugs" and it is sold at the corner market next to tobacco products and beer. The only reasons this "drug dealer" is going to jail is there are no taxes being levied on his product, the pharmaceutical companies are not getting their cut, and lets face it he was selling to kids. And oh yes, it is illegal. WA State has it on the ballot for November-here's hoping.
"Stigma". An enigma is "a puzzling or inexplicable occurrence or situation".
Enough-you are right, I need a bong hit!
Big Worm??
LOL. points for the movie, Friday, reference.
Big worm = spice
Big Worm = character from Friday who sells weed out of an ice cream truck
Marijuana is legal in a few states, now. I believe that there are certain shops you should be able to go to and get it, but the ice cream man should not be doing this. Maybe he should have two businesses one for ice cream and the other for weed.
Thanks
This is obviously nothing new and I suspect it is done throughout the country because the guy that drove the ice cream truck in our neighborhood back in the early 80s was doing the same thing. Though since I only knew of this through a friend and the news when he was busted although we bought candy or ice cream from this guy almost daily, I would say he wasn't "pushing" but had his select customers. Might be time to check all the ice cream trucks before they role out this summer.
Even the reporter had bought some ice cream. I wonder whats in her undershorts!
While I don't use pot, I find it no different than tobacco or alcohol. I disagree with harsher drugs being legalized but pot is, in my opinion, harmless. It is a waste of tax payer money to continue to "fight" this particular drug given that a casual user could grow their own supply at home anyway. It is a natural product that has been around for hundreds of years.
life imitating art. cheech and chong's Cool Dreams comes to mind.
Although I no longer partake of the magic weed, I still think it is a waste of time to go after pot. Tax the heck out of it and restrict it's sale to adults, plus stop drug testing for it, so honest hardworking people can enjoy, on their own time, of course!
If you are like me, and I know I am not alone. WHEN it is legal will we partake? Tough choice, isn't it? Warm weekend, up in the hills, alpine lake, fish are bitting....wow.
Was this guy busted by Sgt. Stedanko?
hehehe...like in Nice Dreams, eh?
My objection to this guy is selling to children. I don't support the prohibition of marijuana imposed by big business on the American people and enforced by the federal government. But I also don't support selling any kind of drugs, alcohol or cigarettes to minors.
There is no proof he was selling to children. Its simply something the Cops assumed which doesn't surprise me. There isn't even proof he sold it at all. They did no sting they simply pulled him over and did a search. If you really have a problem with pot getting into kids hands you need to take it out of the black market, where seedy people will sell to anyone, and the war on drugs certainly isn't doing that.
The police and their agencies are always good for a "What about the children?" argument. Which is totally invalid considering these same agencies support children having easy access to drugs. They do this by promoting the illegality/black market which has no regulations to who they sell to.
States cannot supersede Federal laws.
The Federal Government needs to wake up and smell the weed; And legalize it.
It is burning all around, with no determent to the people;
Except when the Feds step in and harass otherwise good productive law abiding citizens and pilferage all they have worked hard for.
When the bottom feeders need to sustain themselves they do not care who they stomp on.
Lets give it up and move on.
was he driving a cannee-bus??
Blue Bell's 2 new flavors.... MaryJane w/ Redbud and MaryJane Fudge Ripple. Get it at Your local Grocery store or Ice Cream truck.
do we live in a free country ? we should end the war on drugs and put the money to feeding the poor , and healing the sick . the money we spend on court's and jail's for it is stupid . pot was legal until 1937 , yes and our founding father's grew it on their farms . cocaine was in coke-a cola yes soda . have you ever been to a cvs , rite aid , walgreens , wall drugs or any drug store and do you see the line they give it out like candy where do you think it comes from why do you think they are in that business why are there so many bar's and place's to buy booze which was illegal in the 1920's that did not last very long . or thy gambling up to the 1960's it was illegal and a sin the the eye's of the church , but hey today i can go to the corner gas station and get a lottery ticket or down to the many casino's by my house if i want . but i don't see any cops arresting any of those people or any mexican shoot out's or al capone's i see tax payers and big business . the cost of the war on drugs VS. making it legal and taxing it and the new jobs and not a jail cell. learn to think out side the little box you live in and on a last note no one will make you smoke it the same way no one make's you drink booze or go to a casino and place a bet . that is why you live in america , freedom of choice and some people choice is to smoke pot .
Listen, if kids want drugs, they're going to find a way to get it....through the ice cream man or not!
Wow, such gallantry for our police officers. No violence here at all. Someone selling a drug that is without anyone's doubt less harmful than alcohol. If I was a cop and feared for my safety, I would much rather arrest a 20 year old pot selling ice cream man than break up a bar room brawl. Wake up America. Only reason this stuff is illegal is because the prison for hire industry has politicians in their pockets and doesn't want to lose 30 percent of their non-violent, less troublesome inmates being processed for marijuana possession. It's human bondage by Correction Corporation of America. Even Pat Robertson, no liberal, believes enough is enough. Decriminalize
Do not forget the lawyers!
I agree! Let's get real violent criminals behind bars, locked up and KEPT THERE! Instead of overrunning our systems with pot heads. As long as alcohol is legal, then I am all for marijuana being legal.