SGA President Discusses Recent Drug Busts and Protest in Response

Phoenix14News sat down with SGA Executive President Justin Peterson to learn about how the student government is responding to the alleged mistreatment of students by the Elon Police Department and about the student organized protest on Sunday.

Arrested Student Speaks of Experience During Drug Bust

Phoenix14News met up with senior William Ferrell who was arrested during the drug busts two weeks ago. He speaks about his experience with the Elon Police Department. The protest also kicks off as students head across campus to protest the alleged mistreatment by the Elon Police Department.

Student Organizes Protest in Response to Elon Drug Busts

Student Daniel Weller was arrested in connection with the recent drug busts at Elon. Now he is hoping to spread the message of respect from the Elon Police after he alleges they used excessive force against students searched. Phoenix14News spoke with Weller at the start of Sunday’s student protest.

Students Execute Peaceful Protest

Professor Betty Morgan assisted student organizer Daniel Weller in executing a peaceful protest for student rights. Phoenix14News met up with Professor Morgan before the start of the protest.

Peaceful Student Protest Asks for Respect from Elon PD

Students hold up their signs of protest before leaving Colonnades to march across campus

More than 30 students marched across campus today in protest of what they call “excessive force” in the recent drug busts. The protest, organized by student Daniel Weller, started at 3pm and focused on issues of student safety and respect from the Elon Police Department.

Weller estimated the attendance would be about 300 students according to a Facebook event posted, but says the rain may have caused many students to stay in. Phoenix14News is estimating the attendance at about 35 protesters.

Students were joined by political science Professor Betty Morgan. She advised Weller as to how to conduct a peaceful and respectable protest.

Professor Morgan says, “These students represented a tremendous amount of sentiment on campus that really the events of Thursday night a week ago were completely legitimate but maybe mishandled, maybe some of the tactics and methods were a little on the extreme side.”

After making their way across Elon’s campus, holding signs and chanting, students rallied in from of Koury Gym offering their thoughts as to the mishandling of searches executed by the Elon PD.

Phoenix14News contacted the Elon Police, but they have not returned our calls at this time.

Continue to check our website for video from Phoenix14′s live coverage of today’s protest.

Search Warrant: Meredith Haggerty tipped off Elon PD

September 2011 Update: Charges against Nicholas Siciliano were dismissed. A court document sent to Phoenix14News verifies that a court ordered the expungement of Siciliano’s case.

May 2011 Update: All charges against Derek Schwarz were dismissed, including possession of alcohol under age 21 and possession of drug paraphernalia.  A court document sent to Phoenix14News verifies that a court ordered the expungement of Schwarz’s case, and all the records and evidence of his arrest and charges against him have been destroyed.

Alamance County court documents confirm that Meredith Haggerty tipped the Elon Police Department off to several students’ drug activity.

Search Warrant Details on Haggerty

Search Warrant

Search warrants obtained by Phoenix14News Wednesday show that Haggerty told police about drug activity around Elon after being arrested for posession of “a large amount of cocaine and other controlled substances.”  The warrant says Haggerty “provided information on her activity with” several students including Tyler Reynolds and Andrew Milne after her arrest May 1.

Haggerty alleged that Reynolds sold marijuana and Adderall from his apartment at 602 E. Haggard Ave, apt 51.  She also told police that Reynolds made and sold bongs from his apartment.  After executing the warrant and searching his apartment, police found  over 20 bongs in his apartment.  That search resulted in the arrest of Reynolds, Nicholas Siciliano and Derek Schwarz. (All charges against Siciliano and Schwarz were dropped. See update below)

Haggerty also alleged that Andrew Milne was a marijuana dealer.  She told police that he drove to Charlotte to purchase between 1/4 to 1/2 pound of marijuana as recently as Friday, May 1.  After executing the search warrant and searching his room in Danieley Center, police found .5 grams of marijuana, a set of electronic scales, marijuana pipe and marijuana roaches.

Stay tuned to Phoenix14News for more information.

Rally Planned to Protest Elon Police

One of the students arrested in the recent string of drug and alcohol busts around campus is organizing a rally to protest the Elon Police Department. Daniel Weller was arrested May 8th and charged with possessing non-taxed paid liquor. He is calling on students to gather at Koury Business Center on Sunday, May 17th at 2:30 P.M.

Weller says students will walk around campus with signs and banners, ending up in front of Mosely Center around 3:30 for students to give speeches. Weller argues that the Elon Police Department violated student’s rights in the drug raids last week.

According to a facebook group organized for the event, it will be a “peaceful” protest to “preserve the rights of students.”

According to Weller, the original plan was to have marchers end up at the Elon Police station, but that plan was scrapped after the Elon Police would not allow more than ten protesters at the station at any time.

Phoenix14News asked the Elon Police for a comment on the protest against their department, but they have not responded at this time.

Phoenix14News will be covering the rally Sunday live on Channel 14. Be sure to tune in then.

Related links: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=99250906531&ref=mf

http://www.elonnc.com/police/

Phoenix14News Full Show May 11, 2009

Our Final Newscast of The Year, click the Mogulus Player to watch

more about “Phoenix14News Full Show May 11, 2009“, posted with vodpod

Another Drug Arrest Tuesday Morning

Colin Cash

Elon police arrested Colin Michael Cash, 20, an Elon sophomore for possession of cocaine according to Elon Police.

This arrest comes after Elon town police arrested twelve students and three non-students since the beginning of May.

All these arrests come after a drug bust at a traffic stop May 1st. Elon student Meredith Haggerty, 21, and two other non-students are charged with felony possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine. In addition to this charge, Haggerty is also charged with maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances and manufacturing control substance Schedule I. Haggerty was released from the Alamance County jail on $20,000 bond.

Stay with Phoenix14News on wordpress and on Twitter for more information as it breaks.

Twelve Students Arrested in Drug Busts on-and-off Campus

September 2011 Update: Charges against Nicholas Siciliano were dismissed. A court document sent to Phoenix14News verifies that a court ordered the expungement of Siciliano’s case.

May 2011 Update: All charges against Derek Schwarz were dismissed, including possession of alcohol under age 21 and possession of drug paraphernalia.  A court document sent to Phoenix14News verifies that a court ordered the expungement of Schwarz case, and all the records and evidence of his arrest and charges against him have been destroyed.

Two more arrests in the major drug busts occuring all around campus. The total number of students arrested has reached 12. According to an Elon Police Department press release, Faud Zaru is charged with Possession of a Schedule II Drug (Adderall), Possession of a fraudulent identification card, and underage possession of alcohol. He was placed under a $1,000 bond. Also arrested was Daniel Weller who is charged with Possessing Non-Tax Paid Liquor. Weller is not facing any drug charges, but was arrested in connection with the string of raids by the Elon Police Department this week.

Over the past few days the Elon Police Department has made multiple drug busts. According to a release from the Elon Police Department, ten Elon students have been arrested. Four students were arrested yesterday according to Alamance County detention records.

Meredith Haggerty

Zachery Glazer

Andrew Milne

Brian Hunt

Matthew Nathanson

William Ferrell

Faud Zaru

Daniel Weller

William Elliot

William Elliot was charged with Possession of Cocaine, He was placed under 1,000 bond and his first appearance is May 8, 2009.

Matthew Nathanson, 21, was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a fake identification card. William Ferrell, 22, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Zachery Glazer, 23, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. They all have been released after posting bond.

On Wednesday, Elon Police made five arrests on and off campus. Brian Hunt is charged with felony possession of Marijuana with intent to sell and deliver, misdemeanor possession of Marijuana up to 1/2 ounce, and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $1,000. Andrew Milne is charged with misdemeanor possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. His bond was set at $500.00.

On Wednesday morning, Elon Police arrested Tyler Reynolds, 20; Nicholas Siciliano, 19; and Derek Schwarz, 20. (All charges against Sicilano and Schwarz were dropped. See update above)

Reynolds is charged with four misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, purchase and possession of alcohol by anyone under the age of 21, and unlawful possession of a fake ID. Reynolds is being held on $500 secure bond at the Alamance County Jail.

Siciliano is charged with felony possession of a controlled substances schedule II, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and purchase and possession of alcohol by anyone under 21. Siciliano is being held on $1,000 secure bond at the Alamance County Jail.

Schwarz is facing two misdemeanor charges of purchasing and possessing alcohol under the age of 21 and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held on $300 secure bond at the Alamance County Jail

All these arrests come after a drug bust at a traffic stop Friday afternoon. Elon student Meredith Haggerty, 21, and two other non-students are charged with felony possession with intent to sell and distribute cocaine. In addition to this charge, Haggerty is also charged with maintaining a vehicle for controlled substances and manufacturing control substance Schedule I. Haggerty was released from the Alamance County jail on $20,000 bond.