Cops Will Use Incriminating Texts Against You

Smarten up.

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Complex Original

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Once again, if you didn't learn anything from The Wire (which is unfortunate), you should at least know to keep your drug transactions off the phone. If you're sellin' dope straight off the iPhone, you can never be 100% certain who you're talking to. Now, should your dealer get arrested, police just might text you from the dealer's phone, luring you into an easy arrest. Trust us, it happens; Jonathan Roden can tell you all about it. 

After cops in Washington state got a hold of a dealer's iPhone, Detective Kevin Sawyer pulled a jealous lover and went through his recent calls and texts. One message had been sent to Roden, also known as "Z-Jon," about the specifics of a deal. Instead of getting what he was looking for, Roden got locked up for heroin possession.

Roden tried to fight his conviction with Washington's Privacy Act, which bars government employees from fielding "private communication transmitted by telephone." The court wasn't having it, however, saying that Roden knew his texts were being sent to another device where they would be saved. 

Get this, though: One judge was not in favor of the ruling. Judge Marywave Van Deren said the ruling was "clearly contrary to the legislature’s intent," adding that Detective Sawyer should've got the dealer's and Roden's consent to read the texts. Right, because we can totally see that happening.

We aren't condoning the sale of drugs or drug use, but keeping those conversations off your phone could keep you out of jail. 

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[via Forbes]

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