A Laramie resident pleaded guilty to a felony in Albany County District Court on Thursday. Although no plea deal was offered, the prosecution dropped two sexual abuse charges he was also facing.

Dusty Lee Haviland, 30, entered a guilty plea on one count of possession of a controlled substance-marijuana at a change of plea hearing on Thursday.  His criminal record revealed three prior convictions on possession charges.

Haviland faces a sentence of up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.  The sentencing hearing will be set at a later date pending a presentence report.

The prosecution dropped two counts of second degree sexual abuse of a minor that Haviland was charged with following an interview with police on June 6.

The charges were not dropped as part of any plea agreement.  According to the motion to dismiss, the state felt that there was not enough admissible evidence to prosecute Haviland on those charges.

“We would never do a plea agreement on something like that,” said prosecutor Kurt Britzius.

Court documents say that during a police interview regarding the sexual assault charge, Haviland admitted to smoking marijuana the night before and in fact having marijuana in his vehicle and residence at the time of the interview.  A consensual search of Haviland’s vehicle turned up about 23 grams of marijuana.

According to the affidavit, officers of the Laramie Police Department found a 100 mg-container labeled Cannapunch Watermelon containing tetrahydrocannabinol along with half of a brownie that contained about 5 mg of cannabis.

Haviland’s criminal history includes two misdemeanor convictions of possession of a controlled substance on March 29, 2004 and July 12, 2004.  He was also convicted on a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance on Nov. 9, 2011.

 

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