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How does a 19 year old with a clean rap sheet get sentenced to 99 years in prison?

Make a batch of pot brownies and you could be in the same boat.

What is usually considered a misdemeanor in Texas, it was the amount of has oil used in the baked goods that warrants a 99 year prison sentence. Apparently when Jacob Laverno decided to add the ingredient, it immediately raised the THC level in the brownies and is considered a first degree felony comparable to a murder charge.

The Vice reported:

Travis McDonald, the Williamson County prosecutor, said that the sentencing range is five to 99 years, or life in prison, the Associated Press reported. This is a harsher punishment than Texas hands out for sexual assault or aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, just to put things in perspective.

And because the hashish is baked into the brownies, the entire treat counts as an illegal substance. Which basically means that if you throw sugar, butter, and cocoa powder into the mix you end up with a much heavier quantity of “drugs” — about 1.5 pounds, in Lavorno’s case.

The teen’s father had this to say:

“It’s outrageous. It’s crazy. I don’t understand it. Five years to life? I’m sorry. I’m a law-abiding citizen. I’m a conservative. I love my country. I’m a Vietnam veteran, but I’ll be damned. This is damn wrong,” he told local reporters. “If he did something wrong, he should be punished but to the extent that makes sense. This is illogical. I’m really upset, and I’m frightened, I’m frightened for my son.”

You tell us, does the punishment fit the crime or is the judicial system putting non-violent offenders in jail, no matter the crime, make sense?

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(Photo Source: AP)