FruityBud
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2007
- Messages
- 2,294
- Reaction score
- 3,399
A Newington teen is facing a felony drug-dealing charge after police say she mistakenly sent a cell phone text message offering pot for sale to a wrong number.
Detectives say the person receiving the message contacted police, who arranged a meeting for an undercover drug buy.
Myrandah E. Ballantine, 18, of 106 Patterson Lane in Newington was arrested on Dec. 2 on a felony-level charge of unlawful sale of a controlled drug.
Ballantine waived a probable cause hearing in Portsmouth District Court on Tuesday and her bail remains at $10,000 personal recognizance.
The complaint alleges Ballantine sold $120 worth of marijuana to an undercover detective at an arranged buy near the Southgate Plaza on Lafayette Road.
Detective Sgt. Russell Russo said police were tipped off when a citizen approached a police officer telling him they had received a text message from an unknown individual who indicated they had "bags" to sell for $40 each.
Russo said police suspected Ballantine had sent the message to a wrong number and the patrolman forwarded the report to Portsmouth's Special Investigations Unit, which handles drug, Internet and other "out-of-the-ordinary" cases.
"The person who originally got the message was a mistake. She got the wrong person and that person came to police," Russo said.
Russo said detectives immediately began "texting back and forth" with Ballantine.
He said the teen thought the messages were coming from the person who she intended to sell drugs to.
Police arranged an undercover buy and Ballantine allegedly sold the marijuana to a Portsmouth detective, thus resulting in her arrest.
Russo said police use text messages and information placed on Internet sites like Facebook and MySpace to apprehend criminals.
"We will use any means possible to set these deals up and make arrests," Russo said.
hxxp://tinyurl.com/b4sp8o
Detectives say the person receiving the message contacted police, who arranged a meeting for an undercover drug buy.
Myrandah E. Ballantine, 18, of 106 Patterson Lane in Newington was arrested on Dec. 2 on a felony-level charge of unlawful sale of a controlled drug.
Ballantine waived a probable cause hearing in Portsmouth District Court on Tuesday and her bail remains at $10,000 personal recognizance.
The complaint alleges Ballantine sold $120 worth of marijuana to an undercover detective at an arranged buy near the Southgate Plaza on Lafayette Road.
Detective Sgt. Russell Russo said police were tipped off when a citizen approached a police officer telling him they had received a text message from an unknown individual who indicated they had "bags" to sell for $40 each.
Russo said police suspected Ballantine had sent the message to a wrong number and the patrolman forwarded the report to Portsmouth's Special Investigations Unit, which handles drug, Internet and other "out-of-the-ordinary" cases.
"The person who originally got the message was a mistake. She got the wrong person and that person came to police," Russo said.
Russo said detectives immediately began "texting back and forth" with Ballantine.
He said the teen thought the messages were coming from the person who she intended to sell drugs to.
Police arranged an undercover buy and Ballantine allegedly sold the marijuana to a Portsmouth detective, thus resulting in her arrest.
Russo said police use text messages and information placed on Internet sites like Facebook and MySpace to apprehend criminals.
"We will use any means possible to set these deals up and make arrests," Russo said.
hxxp://tinyurl.com/b4sp8o
