UPDATE: 10:52 a.m. EDT, Jan. 31 —
The crowdfunding page for Howard University alum, Cecoy Burnett who was arrested in Indonesia for drug possession on Monday, is nearing its’ $20,000 fundraising goal. As of Friday morning, Jan. 31, the GoFundMe page received $18,375 in donations.
A video has also surfaced of Burnett in custody, doing a perp walk as officials chuckle and take photos in the background. The clip also features the marijuana brownies and vape liquid that he is faces charges over.
Original story:
Cecoy Burnett, a Howard University alum, was recently arrested in Indonesia after being caught in possession with marijuana brownies and vape liquid, according to a report from The Jakarta Post. However, Burnett, who traveled from Los Angeles where recreational use of marijuana is legal, says he was unaware that the substance was illegal in Indonesia.
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The 27-year-old mental health professional was arrested on Monday at the Bintaro Park View apartment building in Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta after residents reported suspected drug use in the apartment. The apartment was later raided, and police confiscated one kilogram of marijuana brownies and five bottles of vape liquid.
Burnett was charged under “articles 111 and 112 of Law No. 35/2009 on narcotics,” which per the eight billion rupiah is “Any person that without right or against the law planting, maintain, possess, store, control, or provide Narcotics Category I in the form of plants.” The charges carry a maximum sentence of 12 years and a maximum fine of eight billion rupiah, which is roughly $580,000 USD.
A GoFundMe account has been launched on Burnett’s behalf to obtain funds to aid with his legal representation. “Cecoy was wrongfully arrested and detained in Indonesia Monday, January 20, 2020,” the fundraising account said. “While we understand that the allegations against him are serious, the only way to ensure the best outcome is to invest in proper legal representation and maintain firm faith that his innocence will come to light as quickly as possible.”
South Jakarta Police Chief, Sr. Com Bastoni Purnama told press that Burnett traveled to Indonesia with the substances in his carry-on luggage. He traveled to the Southeast Asian country on Jan. 17 from Los Angeles using a travel visa.
Bastoni said that the police are working with the US embassy and immigration to determine if Burnett will be deported back to the states. “We will also coordinate with the US Drug Enforcement Administration [DEA] to investigate whether the suspect is part of an international drug syndicate and whether he has a history of drug abuse in the US,” he added.
Burnett’s family, however, is maintaining his innocence. The fundraising page said that his family is working “tirelessly to prove his innocence and bring him home to his family to continue his work in philanthropy and supporting mental health awareness.”
The crowdfunding page, which has a goal of $20,000, has received nearly $4,000 in donations thus far.
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