Kash, if you want to be accurate (but it's a tabloid blog, so who cares, right?), it should be: "Guys at my high school used to run massive drug operations all the time, it was no big deal."

Already with the grammar corrections at 9:30? Come onnnnn, this story is hilarious.

Kash,

You missed the money quote:

"A criminal justice major was arrested on suspicion of possession of cocaine. As he was being arrested, he asked officers if this would hurt his chances for a law enforcement career, officials said."

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-drugbust7-2008may07,0,1445478.story

Kash - does this mean that you have a thing for frat guys?

9:33 - this bud's for you. "Myself" is objective case and thus cannot be the subject of the "will be in Vegas" sentence. This is not Kash's mistake.

The Feds ought to nail Ethan Nadelman as well, for lack of imagination. "Everybody breaks the law" is the lamest response available in a case like this. I'm surprised he didn't use Clinton's paraphrase of the Daniel Webster line from the Dartmouth College case: "it's a small law so what does it matter."

Critics of today's major DEA drug bust at a San Diego college campus called the sting operation a "ridiculous, nonsensical waste of DEA resources."

"It would be different if they picked one or two of the worst offenders, or if there was violence involved, but what is the point of this? Don't they have anything better to do than go after college kids?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------

But its ok to go after small time black and hispanic kids who do it to sustain themselves versus some snot nosed fraternity kid doing it for an extra car - or extra cool spring break right - who then goes on to lead his extra respectable and unreproachable career right (cough cough George Bush and others)....

Guys at my high school use to receive criminal justice degrees all the time, it was no big deal.

Attn faithful customers both myself and my associates will be getting anally raped this coming semester, so stock up now!!

Loving the shout-out to FRAT STUD!

Stuff White People Like: Getting busted for drug distribution then going on to prominent careers in law and politics.

LOVE LOVE LOVE the title! Nicely done Kash

I throw down the gauntlet to the real Fraternity Lothario and all those who pretend to be him to rewrite the title of this article in FL style. The best entry receives my undying awe and appreciation. GO!

9:44 - I'm with you. When some poor (and I mean poor) schmuck gets sent away forever for peddling 5 g. of crack in a neighborhood that's had no decent economic prospects for 45 years, that strikes me as a crappy use of law enforcement resources. Bust all the frat dealers, I say. They're the ones who should know better and who have better options.

I want to know which state bar will admit you after you've been convicted of possessing (with intent to distribute) 2 keys of coke.

I'm also curious as to what the mandatory minimum is for such possession. I've heard anecdotes of people going to the federal pen for a year and a half for far, far less, but I'm no criminal law expert.

"University police launched their investigation into drug sales on campus after Shirley Poliakoff, 19, died from a cocaine overdose in May 2007."

If you ask me, if you're dumb enough to overdose on cocaine, you deserve to die. Why should these frat gods pay for someone else's stupidity? Don't the cops have terrorists to bust? Maybe they should have consulted with the Homeland Security major instead of arresting him.

Drug Enforcement ADMINISTRATION... not agency.

Gentlemen at my preparatory academy frequently received castigation for engaging in the mercantile exchange of intoxicating compounds and tinctures. It was not a conspicuous event.

-Fake Lothario

Nadelmann's comments may seem funny, but they also happen to be true.

wtf is a homeland security masters? was his thesis in airport security? .... this thing on?

I agree with the earlier commentator that to capture the essence of FRAT STUD, you need to have the comma splice -- i.e., not set off "it was no big deal" as a separate sentence. The lack of proper grammar added to his frattiness.

But guys in my high school used to butcher quoting FRAT STUD all the time, it was no big deal.

9:30 - I agree that the comma is truer to the original Frat Stud. The two clauses, however, are entirely independent, making a period more grammatically appropriate than a comma. Perhaps a semi-colon would be the ideal punctuation.

I suspect that you, 9:30, are aware of this and are merely pointing out the infidelity to the original. Perhaps this can best be seen as a critique of 9:33 who characterized your correction as grammatical.

9:44: Did Bush really deal drugs or are you just an idiot?

9:30: This is wrong: "Guys at my high school used to run massive drug operations all the time, it was no big deal."

There should be a period or (even better) a semicolon, not a comma after "time"

If you are going to correct someone, at least make sure you are right.
Twit

Guys at my high school used to ask how getting busted for pushing drugs would affect their futures all the time, it was no big deal.

10:12(1) - Noone is disputing that what Nadelmann said isn't true. Obviously there are many, many people who deal drugs, don't get caught and go on to be very successful. Even among those that get caught, we don't view criminal prosecution as a failure simply because some who are caught end up being successful, law-abiding citizens (rather the opposite is true).

9:44: Not all those arrested were charged with dealing. At least one was charged with suspicion of possession of cocaine. Given that Pres. Bush admitted to using cocaine earlier in life, chances are pretty good that he at one point possessed it or at least could have been suspected of possessing it.

9:44 is dead on. Think about it. Which individual is less likely to be rehabilitated:

a) Someone coming from privilege their whole life and who still chooses to pursue a life of crime or

b) Someone without any opportunity who pursues one of the few means of survival available to him/her.

Guys at my high school used to steal other people's online personae to whore out their blog and get ad revenue all the time; it was no big deal.

The drugs I get. But are frat boys really going to need the hardware?

10:16 - dealing using whats the fing difference - my point is the double standard of the criminal system that allows white middle class/rich kids to get away with this bs but turns around and hammers black and hispanic men for the same behavior. I counter you are the idiot for not getting the point asshole.

San Diego State, natch.

Not infrequently, one of my fellows at Jesus College, after finding himself over-enamored of the sublimities brought on by the seven-per-cent solution, engaged in trade of the compound to his chums, only to meet with the opprobrium of the constabulatory. It was not a conspicuous event.

--Phony Lothario

10:18,

"If you are going to correct someone, at least make sure you are right."

You should heed your own advice. 9:30 is without question correct. Get with the program.

Great points, 9:44(1) and 10:04! It might just be my intense dislike of fraternities, but I'm hoping they get clobbered.

-- ET!

SDSU to Tier 2 and Proud of it Baby! Not many of us can say we left SDSU with more than a couple brain cells left. I applied the few remaining to my Tier 2 law degree, woo hoo! Also, happy to say my fraternity was not implicated in investigation. Go BETA!

the "frat stud" character is the best thing to come out of this blog, and this news story is just perfect.

nice post Kash.

Actually, 9:43, "myself" is a reflexive pronoun, not an objective pronoun.

10:08: Just looking at the drug quantity and equivalency tables in the sentencing guidelines. I'm guessing the quantity of some drugs.

- 2 keys of coke = 400 k of marijuana
- 50g meth = 100k of marijuana
- 100 g of marijuana

Which leads to about 500k, and base level of 28. It is increased by 2 because dangerous weapons were possessed. Base level 30. Assuming criminal history level of I, these kids are looking at 97 - 121 months in federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison.

But wait! These are just the quantities of drugs SEIZED. For purposes of sentencing, the court will look at the total amount of drugs these guys dealt over the year, proven by a preponderance of the evidence. A few more keys and they can get bumped up to the 5-15 kg of cocaine level, which will get them 151-188 months in jail. Cya!

For you young 'uns, the DEA has a storied history in staging high profile, low-substance raids on campus. Back in 1990, the DEA raided three frats at UVA that generated a few arrests for pot and shroom possession/distribution and a blast of media coverage.

Yeah all fraternity members are rich white guys. You really know fraternities well.

Kash - Well done on this post and especially the title. If you simply reported that a bunch of fraternities were dealing drugs, it would have been the biggest snoozer since "Breaking News: Earth is Round" or "Breaking News: UVa gets pissed on by GULC"

Being from Southern California, the only amazing, or surprising thing about any of this, is that SDSU kids could do anything in such an organized fashion. The massive amounts of drug usage (and other types of illicit behavior) is not big surprise to anyone who's lived within 100 miles of that cesspool. FYI - when strippers say they're stripping to put themselves through college, they're talking about SDSU.

FRAT STUD RULES!!

During my years at a prestigious prep school north of Boston there were several DEA raids. One particular person outsmarted the raid by hanging the dope down an air vent. The rest were arrested, none served time...

Meanwhile down the street in the off campus ghetto, kids would get years and years of hard time for selling minute amounts of drugs.

-Zeus

Frat dealers to nights with Bubba!

10:47 - props for the "Office Space" reference.

Can you say Kash Money?

10:08:

Guys at my high school got caught slanging more birds than Jay-Z and the bar totally accepted them, it was no big deal..,

10:48 - two kilos = "low-substance?" Where are you, Miami? Houston?

Sorry- I don't get it- where does the "Guys at my high school used to" nomenclature come from?

LOL @ the dramaqueenery of people like 10:31 - "Someone without any opportunity who pursues one of the few means of survival available to him/her." GMAFB. We have hundreds of thousands of immigrants, many of whom can barely speak English, streaming across the border in the hopes of working in the US and getting a chance at a better life. Meanwhile chumps like you actually seem to believe that the people who decide to deal drugs don't have any other options to avoid starvation.

SDSU to 2 Kilos!

Why do those initial comments correcting the grammar of the thread title or post give me that indescribable sinking feeling? The only other times I remember getting this feeling were when I would be playing spin-the-bottle at some middle school party and some really unattractive people would come sit down and want to join the game.

10:11 -- Gotta give you props. I actually laughed out loud.

this reminds me of Duke Central Campus in 2004 -- Xi!

Shh, 11:20, you got to give these white upper-middle-class champagne liberals some way to absolve their white guilt from slavery happening 150 years ago. If they can't pretend to defend black criminals with misguided and naive facts about the ghetto, the only thing they have left is to vote Obama.

Perhaps one of you idiotic "(fill in the blank) studies" majors cuold name a single case in which a defendant of ANY race got years in prison for minute quantiites. Anyone?

Grow up. Or wait to comment on criminal law and sentencing until you've seen the inside of a courtroom, you deluded tyros.

Only the true elite recognize the source of this phrase as ICE, not FRAT STUD.

Here's a link to the mugshots that was published in the SDSU student paper.

http://www.thedailyaztec.com/media/paper741/documents/6g995j6j.pdf

Those guys are going away for a long, long time.

The idea that these kids shouldn't be tried is ridiculous. Let's see, they not only were dealing coke but also had guns? Doesn't exactly sound harmless. The fact that they are going to go and enforce laws in the future makes it even worse (bribery will be easy for perps... just pass on some of the coke).

I think it IS discriminatory (though not racist) to only crack down on the poor. I say not racist because ecxtasy crackdowns are against trailer trash whites and that is a big deal. They should up the investigations of drug dealing on campus.

Who knew Theta Chi was actually greek for "anal prolapse?"

Prisoners at MCC San Diego to a new stable of he-bitches!

Guys in my high school used to get totally mad when their submissions for best photo caption got the shaft by readers, but then subsequently found an increased admiration for Kash when her use of my persona, while ultimately unfaithful to my signature grammar style, validated my existence all the time, it was no big deal.

FRAT STUD

Enough with the grammar. This is a fucking blog, not a law review article. Please punch yourself in the face.

And yes, I don't think rich white kids should be arrested for selling drugs, only Black and Hispanic Americans.

*poof*

FART STUD

10:48, was Operation Equinox run by DEA or JADE? I recall it being JADE (Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement).

Then again, I was pretty stoned that night so I don't really remember it clearly. You're right about the blowup in media coverage though.

I thought Obama was the former drug dealer.

11:39--

Have you ever practiced in a federal court and seen someone charged with a minor amount of crack possession? There's a five year mandatory minimum for 5 grams, you dolt. That's about two sugar packets worth. And yes, I've seen guys get sent away for that kind of petty crap all the time. Check the docket of any federal district court, particularly if the USAO has been slow in recent months.

The sentencing guideline calculation is irrelevant. These defendants also had guns, which triggers mandatory minimums under 924(c). They'll get hit with one 924(c) for having a firearm in connection with drug possession (5 years), plus a second 924(c) for having a firearm in connection with conspiring to possess drugs (an additional 25 years!). Thus, at a minimum, they are looking at a 30-year mandatory minimum sentence. They’ll, of course, plea out, but it wouldn’t surprise me if they get 5 years each.

My first reaction was also "this is a waste of DEA time and money." I think the DEA should be more worried about making sure the stuff doesn't come into the country.

BUT then I thought about the recent (few years) trend of disgusting and corrupt politicians. I think this is great and hope they all receive long sentences. We need to cap people will low morals from becoming in charge of our society.

Yup, I'm becoming an activist and hating it.

All you dolts are racists for assuming that "fraternity" magically means "rich white kids." Umm, that's not a requirement for a fraternity. And if you look at the actual profiles of the arrested defendants, you'll see that they are a mix of whites, Asians, Arabs and Hispanics, which is precisely what you would expect in San Diego.

The only reason the reaction to this has been "no big deal" is because the students are white. If 96 black and hispanic students were arrested in a drug raid, there would be no commentary and they would all be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. No one considers it a waste of DEA time and money when the investigation involves people of color.

If you look at the list of kids and what they did it gives a pretty good idea of who will be serving what. The 8 drug users will probably be asked to testify.

Notice the couple of guys with their mugshots showing gang tattoos, those will probably be the focus of the investigation. The DEA will attempt to get those guys the harshest punishments so that they will rat out the real source.

All in all, the amount of drugs and money taken from this long list of people is minute and wont really do much to repair the "tear in the moral fiber of society" brought on by these people.

12:23 you are a complete idiot. Look at the list before you start posting. I understand you are upset that affirmative action did not get you into a tier 1, but the list shows that most of these people were not white.

way to talk out of your ass though.

12:12,

I had to break this to you, federal court guy, but state court, where the overwhelming majority of drug cases are dealt with, is a tad different. In DC, countless young, poor minorities face little recrimination for minor drug offenses.

I wish people would just leave white kids alone. They don't hurt anybody and they are the future of this great nation.

12:23's anger is real; it is powerful; and to simply wish it away, to condemn it without understanding its roots, only serves to widen the chasm of misunderstanding that exists between her world and reality.

Anybody tried facebooking these guys?

Wow, 12:23, way to talk out of your ass about these all "white" kids, immediately right after I pointed out that many of these kids are Asian and Hispanic.

It's too bad the DEA doesn't lock people up for racism and mental retardation.

Uygays atay ymay ighhay oolschay useday otay ortsnay oundsmay ofay okecay anday enthay eakspay igpay atinlay allay ethay imetay, ita asway onay igbay ealday.

ATFRAY UDSTAY

All drug enforcement activities related to non-violent violations of drug laws are a waste of time and resources, and no, merely possessing a firearm does not make their activities "violent" in nature.

They raided like 5 fraternity houses and arrested almost 100 people and only found 2 guns? I'm sure you could raid the homes and vehicles of any 100 random people and find at least 2 guns if not more.

11:39/12:33:

You dared anyone to point out a single case--I gave you a raft of cases. Don't start changing the parameters like you were Hillary Clinton, state court dude. You lose.

Cook 'em. No more double standards. The prison time will rehab the perps. Then they can go run for president, as either Dems or Reps, whatever suits them.

JT recalls using the kyrptonian superpowers which are JT's birthright to seize the above paraphernalia. Or perhaps it was the psychotropic mushrooms JT took which are inducing that memory.

12:33,

I work in DC's state courts. Plenty of the countless minorities do get sentences for minor drug offenses (and let's remember here that as far as many prospective employers are concerned, a criminal record is a criminal record, no matter how minor the conviction), and often those that don't do time only enjoy that route because of a community court, a fairly recent addition to our plantation here. Maybe there's more trouble for these folks in the fed courts, but let's not kid ourselves and say that state courts avoid meting out the wrath of the man upon the minorities that end up before them thanks to selective investigation and arrest by cops.

1:27,

People, please read the facts before you speak. Just by looking at the picture and reading the link you can see they took 3 guns and 1 shotgun.

Also, 2 people O.D.ed. If you sell drugs, and someone OD's on it, you should go to prison. If you have a 9mm and you sell drugs, YOU ARE NOT USING IT FOR HUNTING.

These kids deserve harsh punishment, but they will not get it. The gang related ones will do some time, and the others will all cop some deals.

Guys at my high school used to get arrested for dealing dope and think some of their co-Defendants were hot all the time, it was no big deal.

GAY FRAT STUD

"If you sell drugs, and someone OD's on it, you should go to prison"

Thanks 1:41, for contributing undoubtedly one of the stupidest comments ever submitted to ATL.

LOL @ 10:11

*curls 275*

3:36 I apologize for the awful grammar there. It is finals time and I am a bit too stressed out. As far as the substance of my statement, I stand by it 100%. Selling drugs is a business adventure. If a business sells a product, and the product kills or harms the customer, there are consequences. If a person decides to take up the venture of selling drugs, they should take with it the rights and obligations. Their rights are to make that money, their obligation should be that no one dies from their product.

I am sorry for you that because you do not agree with my point of view you have to condemn it as stupid.

If you were just talking about the grammar, as I said, excuse it because i am stressing over finals.

I think 6:11 may have topped the stupidity of 1:41.

6:11,
From your post, I have a feeling I know how those "finals" are going to end up.