He Had a Medical Marijuana Card & Police Say He Was a Drug Dealer

MIDDLETOWN, RI — Middletown police stopped a gray Passat with Bay State plates shortly before 8 p.m. on Dec. 23. The driver, Josue E. Martinez, 34, of Fall River, Mass., was pulled over near the bus terminal on Coddington Highway after police notice a strong smell of burnt marijuana coming from the car.

Martinez told police he and his girl friend were on their way to Five Below to buy Christmas presents. He passed a pre-exit test, police said, but the officer called for backup after realizing the smell seemed to be coming from the passenger compartment.

Martinez allegedly told police initially he and his girl friend had smoked earlier in the day and later he said he was carrying about three ounces in the back seat but had no other narcotics.

He also produced a Bay State Marijuana Patient Card.

Police advised Martinez they would conduct a search. During the search, police allege they found a glass jar in the back seat. The jar contained three sandwich bags full of marijuana. A black jacket in the back seat had another sandwich bag of marijuana. A trash bag on the floor contained a scale and small plastic bags for packaging. Around the driver's seat, police located another glass jar with 12 sandwich bags, each containing one gram of marijuana.

Police also allege they found several roaches around the cup holders in the front seat but did not find any marijuana on the driver or the passenger.

The marijuana seized weighed 3.965 ounces, police allege.

He was charged with manufacturing, possession, delivery, which is a felony.