The deputy approached the vehicle on the passenger side and contacted the driver and front seat passenger. The passenger was identified as Daniel Clegg (age 34) per his Arizona Department of Corrections identification card. The front of the shirt Clegg was wearing was covered with marijuana flakes. Clegg was nervously and desperately trying to wipe the marijuana from his shirt onto the floor. The deputy told him that he saw the marijuana on his shirt, and Clegg said, “What? No, this isn’t marijuana” as he continued to wipe it from his shirt. The deputy could also smell the strong and distinct odor of marijuana inside of the vehicle.
The driver of the vehicle denied having anything illegal in the vehicle and said that Clegg had just gotten released from the Arizona Department of Corrections Prison in Florence at 8 a.m. that morning. The driver said he had just picked Clegg up from the prison, and they were driving to Sahurita.
The deputy and his K-9 (named Torro) searched the vehicle and found marijuana underneath the passenger’s seat along with rolling papers in the passenger’s side door pocket.
Also inside of the vehicle was a cardboard box from the Arizona Department of Corrections. Inside of the box were letters and other paperwork Clegg had from the time he spent in prison. On top of the paperwork was a fully loaded Ruger 9 m.m. handgun with hollow point bullets. Since Clegg is a convicted felon, he is also a prohibited possessor of firearms. Clegg has prior arrests for Possession of a Dangerous Drug, Possession of a Narcotic Drug, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Theft, Burglary and Aggravated Assault. Clegg denied owning the gun but did say he saw the gun, and he put his paperwork underneath it. He declined to answer any questions. The driver denied the firearm was his.
Daniel Clegg was arrested and booked into the Pinal County Jail for Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Misconduct Involving a Weapon.
Sheriff Paul Babeu stated, “Daniel Clegg spent his one hour and six minutes of freedom by smoking marijuana which he knew was illegal and possessing a firearm despite the fact he was a prohibited possessor. Now he will return to prison to spend some additional time behind bars. Hopefully, the next time he is released, he will make better choices and enjoy freedom a little bit longer by doing something constructive with his time.”