Officer Steven Spoonire

[Administrator]

Maryland State police officer Steven Spoonire arrested, suspended, charged with growing marijuana in his home and possession of drug paraphernalia.

July 11th, 2008


WOODSBORO, MARYLAND - A 16-year veteran of the Maryland State Police has been arrested on drug charges after troopers found a growing marijuana plant, and other marijuana and drug paraphernalia at his home Wednesday evening.
Trooper First Class Steven Wesley Spoonire, 36, was charged with manufacturing a controlled dangerous substance and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, authorities said. He was taken to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center and released Wednesday night after posting $10,000 bail.
He has been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation, said Greg Shipley, MSP spokesman.
“The allegations are very serious,” he said. “We don’t condone this action that is alleged.”
The Frederick County Drug Task Force received a tip Wednesday that marijuana was growing outside a house on Woodsboro Pike, according to charging documents. Before three troopers went out, they learned it was the home of Spoonire, his wife and two children.
The troopers arrived about 3:10 p.m. and parked next to Spoonire’s MSP marked patrol vehicle, the document states.
“Immediately I saw a marijuana plant growing next to the back steps of the residence,” said Sgt. J.A. Deater, the arresting officer who composed the charging documents.
The plant was about two feet tall, Shipley said.
Troopers told Spoonire why they were there.
“This is not my property, I rent,” Spoonire told them.
Troopers of the Frederick and Westminster MSP barracks, the county’s drug task force and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office served a search and seizure warrant.
In the master bedroom they found:
– two pipes containing suspected marijuana residue in a small dresser;
– a prescription bottle with Spoonire’s wife’s name on it holding suspected marijuana residue on a dresser;
– a small clay pot on a window sill holding suspected marijuana seeds and potting soil;
– EZ Wider rolling papers in the top drawer of a dresser;
– suspected marijuana stems and seeds in a dresser.
They also found a drug test kit in a second floor bathroom.
Spoonire was arrested about 8 p.m. Wednesday.
He faces five years in jail and/or a $15,000 fine for the felony manufacturing drug charge. For the misdemeanors, he faces a $500 fine for the paraphernalia and one year in jail and/or $1,000 fine for the marijuana charge.
Spoonire had been assigned to road patrol duties for the Westminster barrack, Shipley said. He has been a patrol deputy for his entire career and was never assigned to the drug enforcement division.

[Unregistered]

that sort of stuff could be found in probably more than half of all american homes.

a nonviolent, harmless passtime that others deem "immoral" or "unethical" according to their own standards finds a mostly law abiding citizen and officer of the peace now having to put himself and his entire family through financial and emotional hardship because of it!

this sort of enforcement of drug laws does much more harm to american families than good! where's the justice in that????

[Unregistered]

he has been doing all kinds of things that a state trooper should not do!! Not all illegal but but the average Joe would have gotten in trouble for! Bout time he got caught!

[Administrator]

Administrator,
My name is Steve Spoonire. There is a post (listed below) on your site regarding my arrest in July of 2008. I was a Maryland State Trooper at the time. This was the only thing I have been involved in criminally my entire life. The story was misleading because the woman that I married 3 days prior to my arrest was the owner of the items found in and on her residence/ property and she was charged with the possession. I have since divorced this woman and I have since straightened my life and out obtained a degree in computer network systems. I am attempting to clean the Internet of my name due to the fact that employers are conducting internet searches on potential employees during back ground checks. If you would please delete any of my information from your web page I would greatly appreciate it. Please contact me via email, to let me know that you have received my request and advise if you will honor my request.

Thank You in Advance for Your Consideration,

Steven Spoonire