Jeremy LaFaver headed to court Friday; won’t contest pot charges

Carrying a bag of weed and a pipe around. Driving without an insurance card. Not renewing your tags on time.

Individually, these are all slacker crimes, the types of infractions that can easily ensnare even upstanding citizens.

But Kansas City Democrat Jeremy LaFaver, a freshman representative in the Missouri House whose district includes Waldo and Brookside, is getting ready to ring the bell on this trifecta of lazy misdeeds.

He’s headed to court in Columbia, Missouri, on Friday where he does not plan to contest marijuana-possession charges against time. LaFaver told the Columbia Tribune that he had already admitted to the charge publicly when he was picked up by a Missouri Highway Patrol officer on August 25 along Interstate 70, where he was found to have a pipe and a bit of weed. LaFaver won’t contest the charges, which could lead to jail time but will probably result only in some sort of fine.

LaFaver’s problems started before that. He had a May 7 court date after he was stopped the month before in Moniteau County for driving without proof of insurance and with expired tags. LaFaver blew off that court date, leading to his arrest warrant. LaFaver cleared up his difficulties in Moniteau County on Tuesday with a $125 fine.

LaFaver’s troubles caused him to give up his spot on the House Democratic Victory Committee.