Houston County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a juror after he reportedly tried to take marijuana with him as he returned to court at the Houston County Courthouse.
Lt. Jeff Carlisle said deputies arrested Angel Nieves, 42, after a deputy saw him put a small bag of marijuana in the change tray before going through the metal detector at the entrance of the courthouse in downtown Dothan. Carlisle said deputies handcuffed Nieves on the spot and charged him with misdemeanor second-degree possession of marijuana.
“It’s amazing what people will throw in that tray,” Carlisle said. “You never know what people will have in their pockets.”
Nieves, of West Linda Lane, was released from custody at the Houston County Jail after he posted a $300 bond.
Court records show Nieves is a convicted sex offender. He was convicted in April 2003 of touching a 9-year-old girl for lustful purposes in Mississippi. Court records show Nieves is properly registered in Houston County as a sex offender.
Houston County Circuit Court Clerk Carla Woodall said Nieves had apparently gone outside for a smoke break at a recess during jury selection on the first day of criminal trial week at the Houston County Courthouse. He was arrested just before noon on Monday.
“He was an actual sworn juror,” Woodall said. “He had been generally qualified and he was waiting to be paneled for a courtroom.”
Woodall said Nieves would not receive the normal paycheck jurors receive of $10 per day. She said he was excused from serving as a juror.
“He’s officially off the list as a qualified juror,” Woodall said.
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