By Kate Daneau

Due to the suspicion of a Willis Hall Residence Assistant, one Northeastern student and one Boston University student were arrested by Northeastern Public Safety at 10 p.m. Monday night on charges of possession of an illegal substance, marijuana, with intent to sell.

According to James Ferrier, Associate Director of Public Safety, this is a summary of events leading to their arrests.

An RA in Willis Hall called Public Safety after smelling the odor of marijuana coming from one apartment on the third floor.

Upon arrival, officers entered the apartment, and the odor became substantially stronger. The resident that opened the door said that he had not been using the drug, but told officers that he did not know what was going on in the other bedroom which had the door closed.

Officers were let into the room in question and found an even stronger odor of marijuana and four males around a small table in the middle of the room. On the table was a digital scale, several bags of marijuana totaling several ounces, and an envelope.

Jesse McBurnett, a 19-year-old resident of the room, admitted that he had bought several ounces of the drug. He admitted that he and the three other males were weighing and bagging it for future resale. He also admitted that several other students had provided him with the money he needed to make the illegal purchase.

Another male in the room, Minoru Toyoda, an 18-year-old student at BU, was also arrested. Toyoda admitted that he purchased a significant amount of marijuana and then resold it. He had already purchased two bags from McBurnett, and had it in his backpack which he turned over to NUPD. The monetary amount for the two bags which he paid McBurnett for was estimated at about $500.

Of the two other males in the room, both NU students, one admitted that he was also a resident of the apartment and had just given money to McBurnett to purchase one of the bags of marijuana, but had not yet received any of the drug. This student is still under investigation and may be facing charges of possession, purchasing,, and conspiracy to distribute.

The fourth student lives down the hall, and said he was present because he was overseeing the use of the digital scale he had loaned McBurnett. This student is also still under investigation, and may face charges of conspiracy to distribute.

Also on the table was an envelope containing rolling papers, other small marijuana paraphernalia, and a list. The list was comprised of names and monetary amounts. After investigation this list is said to be people who gave McBurnett the money to purchase the large amount of marijuana earlier that day and who are owed amounts of the substance. The scale, drugs, any paraphernalia on the table and the envelope were confiscated. The students will also be referred to OSCCR.

Ferrier expects that the two students in the apartment which are still investigation will have charges brought against them. This is pending consultation with the district attorney.