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Markus Gaston with his attorney, Timothy Hayes.
Georgia man arrested for ecstasy possession at festival faces jail.
#OceanaCountyCourtNews
By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.
HART — A 28-year-old Georgia man who was arrested for methamphetamine possession at the Electric Forest Festival in Rothbury last June faces serving four months up front of a discretionary jail term.
Markus Blake Gaston of McDonough, Georgia was arrested by the State, Sheriffs’, Chiefs’, Enforcement of Narcotics Team (SSCENT) the first day of the festival, June 22, for the felony offense.
Because Gaston was wanted by Georgia authorities due to being on probation, he has remained in the Oceana County Jail since his arrest.
Gaston initially told Judge Robert D. Springstead that he “ground scored” the drugs (found them on the ground), but then changed his story. After some additional questioning by Springstead, he then testified that he bought the drugs at the festival with the intention of selling them, but was arrested before he got the chance to sell anything.
“That wasn’t so hard, you could have told me that the first time,” the judge said.
Gaston admitted that he possessed “multiple” doses of the drug.
The maximum penalty for the offense is 10 years in prison, the judge said.
Sentencing is set for Sept. 25 at 9:30 a.m.
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