District Judge Dave Gamble honored an unusual request Tuesday during criminal court proceedings.
After pleading guilty to two counts of selling marijuana, Sean Thorpe, 28, asked Gamble if he could address a group of Douglas High School seniors observing court for class.
Turning to face the students, Thorpe said:
"At one point in my life, I was just like you. Ten or 12 years ago, I finished high school and I had two years college, but I felt I had nowhere to go," Thorpe said.
He turned to selling marijuana.
When he entered his plea, Thorpe told Gamble he was dependent on money he made selling marijuana.
"It took 5-10 years to get where I am and 30 seconds to see it all go down," Thorpe said. "This is not where you want to be."
Thorpe told the students to "go to college, do something with your lives. I'm not going to say, 'don't do drugs. That's such a cliche. Stay out of trouble."
Thorpe, of Carson City, was arrested in October after he delivered 1-3/4 pound of marijuana with an estimated street value of $18,000.
He was accused of making five sales between Sept. 4 and Oct. 1
Simultaneous with Thorpe's arrest in Douglas County, Tri-Net agents searched his home in the 1500 block of Camille Drive in Carson City.
Agents seized an additional 1-1/2 pounds of marijuana, 40 grams of psilocybin mushrooms, two Ecstasy pills, $3,500 in suspected drug proceeds and a rifle.
He faced charges in Carson City of trafficking in a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for sale for the drugs found at his home.
Gamble set sentencing for July 28, one day after he is sentenced in Carson City.
In an agreement with the district attorney's office, one of the sales charges was dropped in exchange for Thorpe's guilty plea.
He faces up to six years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
The state won't object to probation or seek jail time, but those decisions are up to Gamble.
