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Iowa City bar owner faces charges of giving alcohol to minors

cigaretteman

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May 29, 2001
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The owner of Pints Bar in Iowa City was arrested early Sunday morning on charges that he served alcohol to three minors, court records show.


Douglas Meek, 52, is charged with three counts of supplying alcohol to persons under legal age, and one count each of selling or dispensing alcohol after hours, public intoxication, providing alcohol to an intoxicated person, possession of a controlled substance and possession of contraband in a correctional institution.


Meek was seen by an Iowa City police officer just before 3 a.m. Sunday drinking with employees inside Pints, according to a criminal complaint. The officer was passing by and saw several people through the glass front. The group, which included three bar employees who are under 21, were taking shots of a dark liquid, later confirmed to be Jameson Whiskey, police said.


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Meek was heavily intoxicated when police arrested him, records show. He refused a preliminary breath test but had bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and a strong odor of alcohol, the complaint states.


When he was booked into the Johnson County Jail, a bag of white powdery substance was found in his pocket, which police believe was less than 1 gram of cocaine, according to the complaint.


Meek was released from the jail Monday after posting $7,800 bail.
 
Doug is having one hell of a rough stretch right now. He got arrested a few weeks ago and cited twice for providing alcohol to an intoxicated person. Now this. Ouch. Pints may be going the way of the Dodo.

Not defending it, but I've always found the "possession of contraband at a correctional facility " to be a bullshit charge. You wouldn't have been there to have it in the correctional facility if the police didn't take you there. Do you get a chance to come clean before they charge you with this (@Hawkman98)? Always seems like a trumped up charge so the County Attorney has more to work with when the plea deal comes.
 
The officer was just "passing by" the store front. I wonder why they couldn't have kept on passing? You'd think it would take more than just a few guys taking some shots inside of a presumably closed/closing bar to get a passing by officer to involve themselves.
 
The officer was just "passing by" the store front. I wonder why they couldn't have kept on passing? You'd think it would take more than just a few guys taking some shots inside of a presumably closed/closing bar to get a passing by officer to involve themselves.

I’m guessing Doug’s been on their radar something fierce after the situation in October. He was passed out drunk at Pints in the morning and they got called. Looks like they told him to sleep it off. They came back at 9:15pm again that night and he was drunk and serving again. That should have been his wake up call. Now this with cocaine too. Hopefully he gets some help, he needs it.

Normally I’m against the IC gestapo but I’m not sure he left them any choice to monitor what was going on.
 
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Doug is having one hell of a rough stretch right now. He got arrested a few weeks ago and cited twice for providing alcohol to an intoxicated person. Now this. Ouch. Pints may be going the way of the Dodo.

Not defending it, but I've always found the "possession of contraband at a correctional facility " to be a bullshit charge. You wouldn't have been there to have it in the correctional facility if the police didn't take you there. Do you get a chance to come clean before they charge you with this (@Hawkman98)? Always seems like a trumped up charge so the County Attorney has more to work with when the plea deal comes.
Anyone I arrest I make it very clear if they have anything on them to tell me before we get to jail because when we find it on you in jail, your misdemeanor turns into a felony. I make it very clear and tell them multiple times. I don't feel like it's a bullshit charge if you are in a jail with inmates instead a holding facility.
 
Anyone I arrest I make it very clear if they have anything on them to tell me before we get to jail because when we find it on you in jail, your misdemeanor turns into a felony. I make it very clear and tell them multiple times. I don't feel like it's a bullshit charge if you are in a jail with inmates instead a holding facility.

You think everyone does this?

Edit: Also, aren’t people in the “holding facility” before they’re processed and given a jumpsuit to go to actual jail? I’d agree with the “in a correctional facility” charge if they sneak it into the actual jail cell. If it’s in their pants when they change and they leave it there when they change, simple possession seems more appropriate IMHO.
 
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The officer was just "passing by" the store front. I wonder why they couldn't have kept on passing? You'd think it would take more than just a few guys taking some shots inside of a presumably closed/closing bar to get a passing by officer to involve themselves.
Not at all. Downtown cops will rigorously enforce the 2AM alcohol cutoff.
 
You think everyone does this?

Edit: Also, aren’t people in the “holding facility” before they’re processed and given a jumpsuit to go to actual jail? I’d agree with the “in a correctional facility” charge if they sneak it into the actual jail cell. If it’s in their pants when they change and they leave it there when they change, simple possession seems more appropriate IMHO.
I think the majority do if they have reason to believe you have drugs.

No, people that are just in a holding cell don't usually change into jail uniforms unless they are wearing something with a string etc. I think it should probably be very obvious that you shouldn't take drugs into jail with you.
 
I think the majority do if they have reason to believe you have drugs.

No, people that are just in a holding cell don't usually change into jail uniforms unless they are wearing something with a string etc. I think it should probably be very obvious that you shouldn't take drugs into jail with you.

People don’t typically think rationally when on something.

Whatever though, thems the rules I guess. Just seems like piling on to me especially when you’re talking about a guy (not this situation, talking a random drunk college kid with some doob on him) who’s going in for the night to get a felony tagged on because he got nervous or forgot about baggie with a gummy in it.

I’d never make in law enforcement with my views on discretion and navigating the gray.
 
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