Missouri state Rep. Jeremy LaFaver (D) was arrested Sunday on suspicion of possessing up to 35 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol’s arrest report cited by PoliticsMo, LaFaver was pulled over for failing to respond to an earlier charge that he had operated his vehicle with expired license tags. On top of the drug charges, the arresting officer also charged him with failure to appear in court for traffic offenses.
In a statement, LaFaver, a first-term lawmaker and chairman of the Missouri House Democratic Victory Committee, apologized for the incident.
“I made a serious mistake, I apologize for it, and I am prepared to face the consequences of my behavior. I want to stress that I was not operating under the influence,” he said. “I deeply regret the embarrassment I have caused my family and the people of the 25th District by this incident. I want to assure my constituents that I have received no special considerations, nor do I expect to be treated any differently than any other citizen in my situation