Willie Nelson Facing at Least Six Months in Jail for Pot Bust

County music legend Willie Nelson is a vocal advocate for the legalization of marijuana. His advocacy also extends to some public displays of smoking the plant. Perhaps this is not the best approach since doing so remains illegal. After his latest pot bust, the 77-year-old singer may now face at least 6 months in jail.

Nelson was en route from California to Austin, Texas when he was stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint in West Texas. The smell of marijuana coming from the van was an easy clue for Border Patrol officials who eventually discovered six ounces of marijuana and took the singer to the local jail until he paid the $2,500 bail, according to The Guardian.

Nelson currently sits on the National Advisory Board for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, but his recent arrest certainly shows that he is still not above the law when it comes to enforcement. Possession of marijuana in amounts above 4 ounces in Texas typically carries jail time. Three others were arrested in connection with the marijuana.

"Texas is more stringent than California so he could face time. One of the issues that the court and prosecutors will look at is his prior record and given the fact that he has several arrests, even recent ones for pot-related crimes, I would not be surprised if Texas decided to stick it to him," California attorney Robin Sax told Fox News.

Unfortunately, just because a citizen does not agree with the law does not create a viable defense to a charge. Nelson admitted to the local sheriff that the marijuana was his so culpability is not really an issue here.

Related Resources:

• Willie Nelson Arrest Will Likely Serve Jail Time (Fox News)
• Texas Marijuana Laws (FindLaw)