Teen pot dealer caught with gun pleads to felony but avoids prison

A teenager caught with a car full of marijuana products and a loaded handgun when he was pulled over in Port Washington’s Upper Lake Park two days before his high school graduation ceremony in June became a felon Tuesday.

Reese N. Geib of Saukville, who was 18 when he was arrested but is now 19, pleaded no contest to possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, a felony, and a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon during a Jan.17 hearing in Ozaukee County Circuit Court.

Described as an unsophisticated, amateur drug dealer during Tuesday’s hearing, Geib was spared a prison sentence.

Instead, Judge Paul Malloy withheld a sentence, placed him on probation for three years and ordered him to serve six months in the county jail as a condition of probation.

And, noting what a significant burden a felony conviction can be, especially for a young person, Malloy made Geib eligible to have his criminal record expunged upon completion of his probation.

“You understand the big carrot for you at the end of the road is expungement?” Malloy asked Geib.

Two other charges filed against Geib — receiving a stolen firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia — were dismissed as part of a plea agreement but read into the record, which means Malloy could consider them when sentencing Geib.

The case against Geib dates to Friday, June 3, when Port Washington police officer Noah Narlock pulled Geib over at 9:30 p.m. for a traffic violation.

Narlock testified during a preliminary hearing in August that when he approached Geib’s car he noticed the smell of marijuana, beer bottles on the floor at the feet of Geib and his 18-year-old passenger and what looked like a THC vape cartridge on the center console. When questioned, Geib admitted it was, indeed, a THC cartridge, Narlock said.

“There was a distinct odor of marijuana and air freshener” emanating from Geib’s car, Narlock testified.

Authorities then searched the vehicle and under the driver’s seat found a 9mm handgun, which Narlock said had 12 rounds in the magazine. Along with it was a makeshift extended magazine for the gun and ski masks, according to the criminal complaint.

Authorities later learned the gun was stolen from Milwaukee, but during Tuesday’s hearing District Attorney Gerol said Geib didn’t know the weapon was stolen when he purchased it. 

Also found in the car were a large box of THC vape cartridges, cases of Delta 9 marijuana and a case of gummy candy marked with a California cannabis symbol, the complaint states.

Narlock testified that more than 400 grams of marijuana in different forms was found in the vehicle. He said some of it was packaged in sandwich bags that were in what he referred to as a travel bag with a combination lock on it.

In addition, a scale with what appeared to be drug residue on it and $486 in cash were in the vehicle. Geib had another $460 in his wallet, for a total of $946.

Narlock testified that the quantity of marijuana, its packaging, the cash, scale and gun were consistent with someone who sells drugs.

Geib’s passenger told officers that he took two six packs of beer and a bottle of Hennessy cognac found in the car from his parents’ house without their permission to celebrate graduating from high school with Geib.

Gerol, who noted Geib had nearly a pound of plant marijuana in his car, said that years ago such a quantity would have suggested Geib was part of the international drug trade but not today, when such quantities are readily available.

“I don’t believe the defendant is a hardened criminal or an established drug dealer,” Gerol said. “Even somebody who is rather amateurish in drug dealing can acquire marijuana and make money from it today.”

To Geib, Gerol said, the gun was a “bright, shiny toy that he didn’t take seriously. He thought it might be useful, but more likely he just thought it was cool.

“This is a young man with no criminal record who was doing bad things, in some cases, stupid things.”

Geib’s attorney, Melissa Barrette, described him as a small-time marijuana dealer.

“This is a young man who was distributing THC to friends and other people in the community in small quantities,” she said.

Barrette said that Geib has sought sobriety counseling, is gainfully employed and is starting this own carpentry business.

Geib apologized for his crimes and said he got caught up in a fantasy about becoming rich.

“Growing up, I always fantasized about having a lot of money,” he told Malloy. “That should never be an excuse for my action. Having a lot of money may be nice, but without the people you love there with you there will never be true happiness.”

Malloy said he agreed with characterizations of Geib as a young person who made bad decisions rather than a hardened criminal.

“You are somebody who made some serious missteps ... but you’re still a kid,” he said.