Lodi man accused of selling teens pot, then smoking it with them

By Shannon Green, Capital Newspapers

PORTAGE — A Lodi man smoked marijuana with area teenagers after selling it to them, according to the Columbia County Sheriff's Department.

Rory S. Trickle, 37, of Lodi, is free on a $2,500 cash bail after making an initial appearance Tuesday in Columbia County Circuit Court on charges of felony manufacture/delivery of THC (marijuana) to minors, misdemeanor possession of THC, felony maintaining a drug-trafficking place, misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor, misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia and two counts of felony bail jumping.

Authorities say Trickle sold marijuana to two teenage boys at 2:30 a.m. Friday at his house at W10602 River Drive in the town of Lodi, according to a criminal complaint.

Trickle reportedly smoked marijuana with the two boys and with his 13-year-old stepson in his garage, and had smoked marijuana with his stepson and other boys seven or eight times, the complaint stated.

During a search of Trickle's home, authorities discovered 6.7 grams - or about a quarter-ounce - of marijuana, along with marijuana paraphernalia, including a bong and rolling papers, according to the complaint.

Marijuana sells for about $25 per one-eighth ounce, according to Sheriff Dennis Richards, and a casual user will smoke less than a quarter-ounce a week.

Investigators from the Columbia County Sheriff's Department linked Trickle to marijuana discovered on one of the teenage boys while authorities monitored the area because of a recent rash of car burglaries, the complaint stated.

As a condition of his bond, Trickle may not have unsupervised contact with his stepson, or any contact with the teenage boys.

He faces more than 10 years in prison and $50,000 in fines on the charges.

Trickle was charged in October 2007 with felony possession with intent to deliver THC, felony possession of cocaine as a second offense, maintaining a drug-trafficking place and misdemeanor counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. He is scheduled for a plea and sentencing hearing Dec. 16.

Trickle also was charged with felony bail jumping and misdemeanor domestic disorderly conduct in March.

Trickle is scheduled for a pretrial conference Dec. 22.