HollyMatkinBurlington, VT – The elderly couple busted driving $336,000 worth of marijuana cross-country have a son who is a prosecutor in Vermont, and it sounds like he’s not happy with them.
Patrick Jiron, 83, and his 70-year-old wife, Barbara, are the parents of Justin Jiron, a top Chittenden County criminal prosecutor, WFAA reported.
The parents of the Chief Deputy of Chittenden County for the Vermont State’s Attorney claimed they didn’t know it was illegal to transport all that pot from California to Vermont.
The elder Jirons were apprehended in Nebraska on Dec. 19 on their way to visit family in New England for the holidays.
Patrick and Barbara told police that the 60 pounds of high-grade pot under the topper of their 2016 Toyota Tacoma was meant to be holiday gifts for family and friends in Boston and Vermont.
The Jirons were charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, and having no drug tax stamp, both of which are felonies.
Their son’s employer was quick to jump to his defense, saying the younger Jiron wasn’t happy about what happened.
“Justin is in no way connected to this allegation other than by relation,” his supervisor, Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, told the Burlington Free Press on Tuesday.
“Justin is and has been a dedicated public servant for over 15 years, and I assure you he is as surprised and upset about these allegations as anyone,” George said.
George said she planned to release a full statement on Wednesday, WCAX reported.
Deputies in York County, Nebraska made a traffic stop on Patrick and Barbara’s pickup truck, and immediately smelled a strong odor of marijuana, according to York County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Paul Vrbka.
They requested a police drug dog respond to assist on the scene.
When K9 Dundee alerted that a controlled substance was present, deputies searched the Jirons’ vehicle, and the couple admitted to having a lot of weed in their truck, all intended to be given away as gifts.
Deputies seized several containers of concentrated THC, in addition to the 60 pounds of high-quality pot that was packed into boxes, WLS-TV reported.
The Jirons claimed that “they didn’t know it was illegal to transport marijuana in Nebraska,” Lt. Vrbka said.