Police Raid on Vitolo's Home

From both of us, @stickstones thanks for the gift of hope.
This entire forum and every member here has been remembered in our daily motions, and in our prayers. If it were not for the members here, we would have felt friendless.
Other than the plumber, no person has been in our home since May 18th.
we speak with no person, and have become isolated.
Patty nor I have family.
You guys have become our family... cousins and brothers (and kids) ... and more importantly FRIENDS that we live far from, yet are in touch with.
@PattyVapes (Patty) sends her love.
She also wants you all to know that the Probation Officers seem to truly want to help us succeed during our period of probation, and are making efforts to "be there" for us.

Thanks for picking up the baton, @stickstones

Thought teams would be fun, too.
$43 + $43 + $44

Buona giornata Vito...I'm late to this thread (please accept my apologies). Words can't speak to the physical symptoms you and others suffer; mitigated only by the ingestion of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. To have the criminal justice system (those who protect and serve) descend upon you and your family has (and) continues to compound your problems through added psychological distress. Hard as it may (and with the help of your mental health providers) strive for a sense of relief and closure to this unfortunate chapter in a life dedicated to helping others. As a consultant to the courts (forensic psychiatry) for 25+years, please make a concerted effort to appease your relationship(s) with your assigned probation officers; as it is their duty to uphold and manage the dictums of the court. When the time is right please inquire with them the feasibility of eliminating all court fees and fines given your current distressed financial situation. In the state I'm licensed and practice in it is commonplace to have your fiduciary situation addressed; and relief sought at some juncture during your probationary period. Please feel free to PM me if you need any assistance.

Chicken Charlie said:

....please make a concerted effort to appease your relationship(s) with your assigned probation officers; as it is their duty to uphold and manage the dictums of the court.

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We will surely abide by any requests made by Probation Officers. They have shown us nothing but supportive encouragement .
Today was our first official meeting, and we were treated with respect and dignity, as our Probation Officer told us of what would be expected of us.

Friday Morning we go to a different office to make our first payments... The Clerk of Superior Court.
Our probation officer told us that would be a good day, since she has to be there that day which will make the first time there less intimidating to us, and show us "how it is done".
I believe we have been blessed with a Probation Officer who has great compassion.
We have seen our Doctor a bit more often than in the past, and our sessions with our Clinical Psychologist have been going longer than the usual hour . This has added an extra layer of support that keeps us being mindful and focused on our love rather than our fears.

We have very few friends (and neither of us have family)
But we do have something as grand as family, and for certain you (FC family) are our friends.
Thanks for listening FC.

I was wondering why you were selling your vapes. Had no idea how expensive being mistreated by the law can be. Would you have any use for a supreme 3 or would you have to sell it?

I am selling items that I do not need for my daily well being.
Also I am selling accessories to items that have been taken from me, as I do not know if I will ever get the things back.
I am selling these things to help pay what is still owed to attorneys.
You are very kind @little maggie
At this time I have no need of new vaporizers.
I will get by with what I have on hand.
This is my current line-up.

I will look forward to getting more vaporizers in the future.
After my obligations to the courts are completely fulfilled.
For the time being this will be fine.
I am grateful for your offer.

Vit~ so sorry you all have been going through this over the past year, but I am relieved there is an end in sight.

I have been following along and keep asking myself: Was any of your activity on FC presented in your court cases?

None of my FC activity was ever presented anywhere..
There was nothing to present as in the end we pled guilty.
The investigating Probation Officer for Pre Sentence report commented "You have quite a following on FC.com". She said it as fact without a negative or positive tone.
I have gone through my posts ( hard work there are over 7000 of them.) I am not ashamed of anything I have said here at FC.
I still am forced to feel a poor self image.
The therapist is working on Patty and I about our self images.
We both feel labeled as criminals, but we are working to replace the negative labels with increasingly more positive self concepts.

You are in good company here, I just hate it all....

Me too, what a bunch of bs that they're wasting resources on this!


Investigating your fc activity, come on!

It's a racket I tell ya, a racket.

Would you as a cop rather deal with Uncle Vito & Patty or an actual menace to society? It makes you sick when you add it all up. Cops, DA, Court, Probation and therapy all so Uncle Vito won't show us how to wash a whip. Here in Detroit, there is no money for infrastructure or school maintenance but after the powers that be removed all manufacturing jobs and attendant work opportunities folks are aghast at failing middle class. Misplaced priorities indeed! Go Vote

Priorities are what they are. They are external forces.
It is how we frame events in our lives that make us able to move forward, when external forces complicate our thinking.
Then our thinking becomes distorted.
My recent posts are not intended to cause anyone to feel "rage at the machine"
My posts over the past few days are intended to let my FC family know that Patty and I are O.K.
An example:
Patty sometimes to this day gets upset about the man who ran me over (cause of the coma, and the symptoms I now live with). He never was forced to step up and take responsibility.
He left the trailer he lived in, and became homeless and indigent so he would not have to "step up".
I did not know this of course until many months later.
That was an external force that has permanently changed my life and my ability to function.
I calm her upset by explaining that the Universe has a plan for each of us.
Were it not for my Injuries and the accident, I would not have met my Patty.
The Universe had it all worked out for us to meet and be there for each other.
Go ahead and google Vitolo and Patty and you will see what brought them to FC to have a look.
When being chased by a tiger... each time you look back over your shoulder to see how close he is getting, you slow yourself by that millisecond and he gains a fraction of proximity to you.
There is no looking back.
Only forward.
The Raid on our home, has done good things for us.
It has brought us closer, and we each got to see one another in action... as we helped each other stand tall more than ever before.
I hope I do not come off like an evangelist here.
We have been blessed, and are looking toward a life that is as good as it was before all of this happened..
We do not mind any of the court's limitations on us.
None of what we must do while on Probation changes our live's or routines.
The only thing different is that we bear a financial burden.
I think of that part, as Tuition for the University of life.
Love you guys, and will talk with you all very soon.

If they looked at your FC presence they would have seen how helpful you've been to those who have no money in your community but who are dealing with pain. Hopefully your probation office took that in.

Vito and Patty,

I have been a member on Fuck Combustion for 4 years. I have lurked on almost every major thread on this site. While I have never posted a message, I am equally glad and saddened that this will be my first.

I don't wish to comment on what has happened to you - I don't want to give that horrible experience any more attention than its received already. Regardless, I want to explain to you what you've done for me.

Vito, I've followed your posts on this site since I joined. Your compassion, spirit and dedication to this entire community inspired me countless times in the past. Your videos were among the best on Youtube for being informative and interesting. I watched every single one. I watched through the videos as you got stronger and I was blown away by your positive attitude in the face of your struggles. Every vape I own today I own in part because of your videos. The only reason I knew about Ed's TNT was through your videos. The only reason I knew about countless little gadgets that I love today is directly because of you. But none of that is important in the face of how you've made me felt. You're a strong and inspirational person that was unafraid to put his face out there and say "fuck the stigma, this is about my health". You deserve nothing but health and happiness and I apologize for everything you've been through.

Patty, they say behind every great man is an even greater woman. I've been with my girlfriend for 6 years and we're as inseparable as Vito describes his relationship with you. My brain wouldn't function without my girl - she keeps me afloat, keeps me sane and keeps me striving towards my goals and aspirations. I hardly know any details about your relationship with your husband, but the sheer sum of years you've been together is a shining testament to the power of love in the face of hardship. Your love for eachother is inspiring and your commitment to your husband, and his to you, brings tears to my eyes whenever I think of it.

You are both strong people that can get through anything with time, support and each other. We've never spoken and I've never reached out to either of you - but you need to know that I deeply respect and care about you both.

Warmest regards and best wishes,

TDT - (JAS_54 on Reddit, sauerkrautpancakes on Instagram)

PS. I do not expect a response, I only hope this message meets you well. <3

little maggie said:

Hopefully your probation office took that in

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They did. I will be free to discuss that here after Aug 26.

T-dot Toker said:

I apologize for everything you've been through

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@T-dot Toker ....what kind words, and what positive reinforcement.
Patty just read your words with me, and was floored.

T-dot Toker said:

brings tears to my eyes

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That's what happened to us, at the reading of your post.
Your message has met us well.
While my youtube channel still has many videos, there are about 100 videos
that I placed on private after our incident.
They will be returned after a time to public mode.
In 3 weeks, I will be free to share all that went on, and the final disposition of our case.
This will be the first place I come.... FC.com, and to this thread.
I am anxious to share the conclusion to our tale.

...it's a goddamn shame you and patty have had to deal with this...through the years I have observed you to be one of the most insightful, helpful people on this informative site...yu are a very strong man and I applaud how you have handled yourself...in addition to dispensing valuable information on that plant we all adore...your behavior also sets a tone and provides lessons on how to deal with adversity..I salute you brother...(in and out of this site I was unaware of this struggle...wish you and patty...nothing but he best.

Thank you @turk
Thank all of you.

FlyingLow said:

Was any of your activity on FC presented in your court cases?

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no.. FC activity was only mentioned once we pled guilty, and were at our pre-sentencing meetings.
Our assigned Probation Intake person said:

Probation Intake Officer: "You have quite a following on the website Fuck Combustion"

Click to expand...

I nodded acknowledgement, and it was never mentioned again.
I will at the promised time, share it all with you.
Our lives will improve, and other than the financial devastation we will heal over time... and even that we have begun to grow accustomed to.

• Attorney costs : $8000 (We were blessed that $7000 of that came to us through your donations and those of FC listed Manufacturers, including 7Th Floors LLC's huge FundRazr)
• Probation Fees: $780 (This was covered by 2 members here.. @ChooChooCharlie and @stickstones).. I had to mention them!
• Fines and court costs: this came out to a whopping $5000 in the end! Patty inherited a small amount of money from her Father when he passed, and had invested it so it could grow. She chose to cash that in and pay the Fines off. The money is gone, but we do not owe the courts or lawyers another penny.

Blessings:

• Vape units were sent by a few of you, as well as supportive surprise packages. I won't list these, because i am afraid I will leave someone out... it is a Brain Injury flaw to forget important things. You all know JUST who you are that sent us stuff... and we appreciated it greatly!
• Patty and I have found Clinical Therapy to be a wonderful experience, that has helped us to cope, and has brought us even closer.
• We used to think of the police as our protectors. We now have the knowledge and insight to admit that we were wrong. Some police are devoted to their oaths, but most will lie, and deceive to get the feather they seek in their caps. They took their jobs because they felt weak and insignificant and needed to feel power and control over others.
• Not everything is forever gone. There has been some compassionate changes in the courts eyes concerning our case. In 18 days (one day before the 26th) I will reveal EXACTLY what transpired in the court, with the Judge, with the "lead detective", with the "anonymous tip" giver.

What we will never do... and what we will do:

• We will never get our time back, or our innocent view of the world.
• We will never get back all of the money lost.
• We will, however get our dignity back (with a few holes punched in our psyches)
• We will move forward with pride.
• We will also continue paying it forward, and have arrangements made to Pay it forward to the low income, terminally ill patients that we proudly served for 5 years until the day of the raid.

It has been over a year.
15 months.
FC community never gave up on us, and our goal is to pay it forward right here on FC as well.
While I will post in various threads that I enjoy here... and will likely say a word or two here in the "RAID thread", you all can expect a very revealing series of events to be laid out before you...
right here in 18 days.

I am very glad, Vitolo and Patty, that you are reaching the conclusion of your ordeal. I know that whats happened will always be a part of your life but its clear that you are moving forward with focus and vision. I am sorry you had to learn how broken our legal system actually is, the hard way. I am a medicinal user myself and while I am thankful that in my state, Michigan, they have passed medicinal laws, I still maintain an edge of paranoia, because I know that regardless of the laws, I could get rousted at any time. I am fully compliant to the state laws but even if I beat any charges, the end results of proving my innocence would cripple me financially. Its an unfortunate truth that even with laws to protect me, they can still turn my world upside down if they choose to. Anyway, I am looking forward to your accounting of those events, knowing that they will provide a cautionary tale for all of us. Thanks once again, you two, for all that you have done and I am so sorry and frankly a bit embarrassed to be a part of a society that would treat such caring people as you, the way they have. So please accept my apologies on the behalf of a society with seriously messed up priorities.

rshetts said:

So please accept my apologies on the behalf of a society with seriously messed up priorities.

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"Wow" spoken by Patty just now after reading
Same goes for me.
Thank you.

rshetts said:

would cripple me financially

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Vitolo said:

.. and even that we have begun to grow accustomed to

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After the initial shock of the reality in your wallet, you get into a routine..
Having a partner like Patty helps.
People do say that "you can't live on love"
You can stretch your limits though, with love.....
and stretching your limits gets you there if you focus.
Holding my thoughts.. and do not want to get ahead of myself here.....
Thank you.
Simply, thank you.
The positive reinforcement helps peel away layers.

• Guilt
• Shame
• Fear
• Anger
• Doubt
• Resentment
• Insecurity
• Anxiety
• Depression

Begone you little pricks... begone!

a most peculiar species, the Homo sapiens.

It is done.

We wished to give you the outcome of our ordeal.

We went to 11 hearings.
We pled not guilty, and the judge (a very fair judge) said "you realize that if you don't accept this plea, I can not protect you".. we pled not guilty anyway, but had second thoughts.. and we went back a month later and asked the Judge to please change plea to guilty.
Prosecutor asked for 36-60 months probation and $5000 fine for each of us.
Our attorneys asked for 36 months , but a more reasonable fine.
The judge saw through it all.
She gave us small fines and 6 months of probatio.
The probation officer said we did not have to come to the probation office.
Once a month she came to our home.
This is the end of probation.
The judge has ordered that we receive all property back, including triple beam balance, and all vaporizers.
The order directs Tucson Counter Narcotics to turn over the full amount of money with accrued interest. The judge is giving the interest to a youth prevention program... a few hundred to some racketeering fund, and some back to the group that spent (and lost) tens of thousands of dollars on the raid.... Tucson Counter Narcotic Alliance..
We get back a bit over 1/2 of the cash with all of our stuff.
Our charge became a misdemeanor today.
The Judge ordered that copies of the directive be sent to prosecutor, and/or to the investigating detective on our case. They will see her attitude about their huge waste of taxpayer funds.
This has caused us therapy, and new medications also... and the conditions Patty and I suffer are improving.
BUT...
we made it
We are together and we have remained in love and strong.
Thank you FC.


Edit:
All of this was complicated because my Doctor of 40 years retired at age 90 right when the raid happened.
We found a new Doctor, but then he closed his office without warning.
Then finally, I turn 65 in a week, and I was forced to find a new doctor without any notice... that would accept:

1. A patient that is on BOTH medicare AND Medicaid.....
2. A patient that is being treated for a chronic long term disability, with limited longevity...
3. A patient that is being treated for Pain a) that takes Narcotic drugs long term and b) That uses Medical Marijuana

We found a Doctor.
It was work, and it was difficult to keep focus.
At the SAME darned time as all of this.. I learned that I no longer would receive free medications, as Medicare part D was for those that put in full "quarters" into Social Security etc. etc.
All done. I now get news for Patty and I to digest.
She is covered for medical fully.
I am covered now fully once again.
We have the same Doctor and Pharmacy.
Next on that same day... we learned that our case was only a misdemeanor.
Later that day... we heard from attorney that we get our stuff back even though we applied a year late.
Prayers meant for us surely did arrive our way.
That night, 3 patients out of touch with us called to say hello, catch up and re-establish communication.
The Universe has spoken.
It is telling me that I should be heading over to the Paying it Forward Thread now... to discuss the future.

Great that you made it thru, stronger and tighter BUT "fuck law enforcement" that wastes resources on "crimes" like this when they should be focusing on important crimes. Shame on them.

It just shows how much we need full legalization to end this BS

Peace and love heading your way, you made it thru the ordeal.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson
Thank You both for your service to the community and your perseverance in the face of great difficulty.

Congratulations!