Willie Nelson Cited for Drug Possession

 

It appears old habits die hard, especially when it comes to Country & Western outlaws, as country legend Willie Nelson has been cited for drug possession in Louisiana. According to reports, Willie Nelson and several of his band members were on the road again and were stopped early Monday during a routine highway inspection. As a result, attending officers caught a whiff of a foreign odor wafting from Willie's vehicle, which led to several drug possession citations.

 

As E Online reveals, Willie and the boys were traveling along Highway 10 in St. Martin Parish when they were pulled over and officers smelled something suspicious, which resulted in the discovery of marijuana, "... a search of the bus turned up about one-and-a-half pounds of marijuana and a small bag of psychedelic mushrooms estimated at two-tenths of a pound."

 

Sources report that state spokeperson Willie Williams revealed the incident took place approximately seven miles outside of Lafayette, Louisiana where the police were performing commercial inspections. Williams also went on to reveal that none of the passengers were given special treatment because of Willie Nelson's star status while police have stated that all men were cooperative during the process. However, as a result of the marijuana discovery, Nelson and all persons in the vehicle were issued citations for drug posession, as People reports, "Nelson, 73, and Tony Sizemore, 59, Bobbie Nelson, 75, Gates Moore, 54, and David Anderson, 50, were issued misdemeanor citations for possession of mushrooms and marijuana and then released."

 

The citation comes only two days on the heels of Willie Nelson's appeal to have marijuana decriminalized while on a political trip in Texas on behalf of Kinky Friedman, a candidate in the Texas race for governor. If convicted, Willie Nelson could face time behind bars, as revealed to Reuters by the police, "Nelson faces possible jail time of up to six months and an unspecified fine."

 

Born in Abbott, Texas back in 1933, Willie Nelson has become one of the most influential singers/songwriters in country music with such hits as "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," "On the Road Again," and "Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys." Nelson also struck gold with his smash duet with Julio Iglesias "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" in the 1980's and was also a driving force behind the popular benefit concert series Farm Aid and a member of the legendary country group The Highwaymen, which also featured Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, and Waylon Jennings.

 

[Additional Sources: E Online, People, Reuters]