Nicole Bobek charged with 'significant role' in drug ring

[antmanb]

I don't have a problem with someone who deals a deadly drug like meth getting 10 years in prison, even if it is a first offense. If she were only using, I would say she should be sent to rehab for a first offense, but dealing is a different story.

Also, you have to remember that in our justice system, almost no one serves their full sentence - most people serve no more than a third of it. So if she got ten years, she would likely be out in about three. Even that serial killer who was killed by police this week in a shootout, who had over 40 serious convictions and serious infractions while in prison for armed robbery, was released early and put back on the street. It's just a reality of our current justice system.

I don't know what the system's like in the US and it's been a while since i studied the way sentancing works here in the UK but from what I remember the maximum tariff for an offence is rarely if ever used.

If the person convicted pleads guilty straight away then they are given a third off their sentence for saving court costs in not going to full trial, sparing the victim or witness from having to give evidence etc.

The tariff is actually reached using guidelines which set out the various aggravating and mitigating circumstances. Early guilty plea is one of the mitigating factors (i think) together with, first offence, non-violent offence etc etc. From memory it is extremely rare to get more than about a third to half of the full maximum tariff for a first offence so taking 10 years as the example it is quite likley that depending on the plea entered and previous cirminal record a person would get no more than 3 years for such an offence.

Here in the UK you would serve half of the sentence (in this case one and half years) including time spent remanded in custody and depending on good behaviour. You'd then be released "on licence" for the remaining one and half years and if you committ any crime or breach any of the conditions of your release you wind up back in prison to serve out the remainder of the sentence.

Ant

 

[pippa]

There's no automatic time off a sentence for pleading guilty in the US. Sentencing is up to the judge, although he/she obviously cannot give more than the maximum time allotted for the crime.

However, first offenses do usually get lighter sentences, and judges will take into consideration if a defendant pleads guilty and takes responsibility for their actions. It is unlikely that Nicole would get more than 3 to 5 years even if convicted (and would therefore probably serve only 1 to 3), unless the judge really wants to make an example of this drug ring.

 

[ANW]

Former figure skating champ Nicole Bobek arrested in drug ring bust

Deleted

 

[sillylionlove]

Today she posted bail and was released.

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2009/07/former_figure_skating_champ_ni.html

 

[Raatkirani]

I thought she was coaching out in Florida, I had no idea she would be involved with this. Based on her mug shot, it wouldn't be out of line to assume she has used meth. I'm surprised more people aren't turned off to it simply by what it does to your skin and teeth (apart from the insides, of course).

 

[SeaniBu]

Oh no! Is Niclole that hard up for money?

She is now.

..?? or maybe that will turn around for her. The strangest people get hung up in drugs. Just never guess sometimes.*shrugs*

Out of all of the "types" to be into as well??? just so strange. This is not a "social or casual" drug. It is freak'n scary one.

I hope she can put this behind her (I know people who have been there and escaped) and say hello to the future again.

On a semi jesting note, didn't she have a part in that movie with Sean Penn? , but let's just pass the buck here and blame Sean Penn. lol

And who ever mentioned her eyes, i.t.a they are still strikingly beautiful.

I don't think we can say life is done - there is more I am sure she can eliminate her association and dependency.

 

[Kimmie Fan]

what a horrible news.

I think the best thing for Nicole is to take a plea deal (if given).

She show remorse for her action.
She agrees to cooperate fully and testify against the ringleaders behind the drug distribution.
Hopefully the judge will look at her past record (hopefully, nothing else besides the break in) and give out the minimum sentencing.

Something like 3 or 4 years...eligible for parole after 1 year.

one myth i would like to dispel.
Those of you who think that going to prison for many years will clean her up (drug use wise), I would have to disagree.
Drugs are just as easy to obtain inside the prison.

 

[icedancingnut31]

She definately looks like she was using Meth. Meth is bad stuff it really messes you up. One thing too if she is sent to rehab, I don't think she will get cured. I have heard from a lot of people that rehab is a joke and all the drug addicts meet each other and then they end up getting new drug connections

 

[Ladskater]

I heard that she could get ten years. Of course, if Nicole were here in Canada, she would no doubt get a lighter sentence. Our Judicial system is a lot different than the US.

 

[pippa]

One thing too if she is sent to rehab, I don't think she will get cured. I have heard from a lot of people that rehab is a joke and all the drug addicts meet each other and then they end up getting new drug connections

I think that depends - people who choose to go to rehab and genuinely want to get help have a fairly good rate of success. Those who are forced to go, on the other hand, often just don't make a real committment to sobriety, and so treatment isn't as likely to work for them.

Of course, there are always those people who are ordered into rehab who really learn something there and decide they need the help, after all. So there is some hope there.

 

[Tonichelle]

I agree with pippa... my uncle went about 14 years ago and he's now 14 years sober (in both drugs and alchohol)... I don't think everyone is a rehab failure.

 

[fairly4]

I am going to say I hope she is doing okay. on other hand when Nicole was competing did they test for Meth drug back then, because I see through the newspapers that once start on doing meth it is hard to get off of the drug/clean.
just wondering.-because it looks like she been using for a long time.

 

[pippa]

I am going to say I hope she is doing okay. on other hand when Nicole was competing did they test for Meth drug back then, because I see through the newspapers that once start on doing meth it is hard to get off of the drug/clean.
just wondering.-because it looks like she been using for a long time.

If Nicole had been using meth since her competition days 13 years ago, she would look drastically different. After three or four years on meth, users look positively ghoulish - they become skeletal and their faces sink in, their skin falls off of them in wrinkled folds and often is covered with sores, and their teeth rot away to stumps. Just look at some of the photos on this site, including the ones of a woman whose appearance changes over ten years of meth addiction:

http://www.anti-meth.org/photos2.html

Meth really wasn't a popular drug back in the days when Nicole was competing, either - it has kind of exploded in the past seven or eight years. My guess is that she is in her first year or two of use.

 

[gio]

If Nicole had been using meth since her competition days 13 years ago, she would look drastically different. After three or four years on meth, users look positively ghoulish - they become skeletal and their faces sink in, their skin falls off of them in wrinkled folds and often is covered with sores, and their teeth rot away to stumps. Just look at some of the photos on this site, including the ones of a woman whose appearance changes over ten years of meth addiction:

http://www.anti-meth.org/photos2.html

Meth really wasn't a popular drug back in the days when Nicole was competing, either - it has kind of exploded in the past seven or eight years. My guess is that she is in her first year or two of use.

Oh my!! It's frightening.

Why Nicole? Why you fell in such a trap?

 

[MK's Winter]

She looks awful in that mug shot, I was comparing the competition photos they had with it and the diffrence is astounding. The only indication to me that it was even her were her emerald colored eyes that are still beautiful. In my opinion I really think she is using and I hope she gets the help she needs.

 

[gio]

National Geographic broadcasted a documentary about meth. It's really the most dangerous drug, because it's highly addictive, it destroys your brains and its effects last for as much as 12 hours. Meth users will do everything to have money to buy that drug. So they get involved in crime.

 

[fairly4]

Thank you for the information Pippa,
I didn't know how meth affects people unless I read it in the newspapers.
Thank you once again.

 

[lcd]

The contrasting paths are striking. this season we saw college graduation photos from Michelle and Sarah, and this for Nicole. How sad. Tragic.

 

[janetfan]

The contrasting paths are striking. this season we saw college graduation photos from Michelle and Sarah, and this for Nicole. How sad. Tragic.

Sometime back in the 90's Frank Carroll had made a comment about Tonya and Nicole saying something like, 'this can not be good for skating."
Not his exact words but his thoughts were clear enough.
Is skating still too elitist and do we hold skater's to higher standards than in other sports?

I don't think so - and Carroll had been around skating long enough to spot a couple of "rotten apples." Maybe that is not fair to say but Tonya and Nicole both had alot of talent and opportunities to do something very positive with their lives.

 

[jeff goldblum]

Sometime back in the 90's Frank Carroll had made a comment about Tonya and Nicole saying something like, 'this can not be good for skating."
Not his exact words but his thoughts were clear enough.
Is skating still too elitist and do we hold skater's to higher standards than in other sports?

I don't think so - and Carroll had been around skating long enough to spot a couple of "rotten apples." Maybe that is not fair to say but Tonya and Nicole both had alot of talent and opportunities to do something very positive with their lives.

I totally agree with the sentiments in both this and the quoted post. There are so many great examples of what life can be after skating. We see so many skaters really apply lessons that they learned from being in that atmosphere and go on to do great things - Tenley Albright, Debbi Thomas, Paul Wylie, and of course what looks like it might be a burgeoning political career for Michelle Kwan. To contrast it with Nicole selling drugs is truly sad. She could have done so much.

I think it really stems from upbringing though, and I just seem to recall that Nicole's home life - like Tonya Hardings, though less extreme - was not always the best.

I do wonder what it does to the image of skating though. More in the sense that I wonder how it might distort whatever opinion of (particularly female) skaters the general public might have. I don't think it's holding skaters to a higher standard for wouldn't we expect anyone to be smart enough not to get involved in something like meth. I think it's equally deplorable no matter who is involved. And it's certainly a far cry from something like Michael Phelps being caught smoking marijuana. In my mind that is much more forgivable for some reason.

And Frank Carrol ought to know the bad apples, after all he did coach skating's bad boy Christopher Bowman. Sadly, we all know the tragic turn that his life took. I hope the same isn't true for Bobek.