Classwork:
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| 11two_stories_from_the_heart.doc |
Story One:
"21 Chump Street"
Last year, at three high schools in Palm Beach County, Florida, a bunch of young police officers were sent undercover to pose as students. These were recent graduates of the police cadet program. And they blended right in. They went to classes. They ate in the cafeteria. The hung out on the basketball court during recess. They had fake Facebook accounts, of course. They even took the state's standardized test, the FCAT. Police officers were there undercover because parents and principals had complained about drugs being sold at the schools. Only the principals at the schools knew of their presence. No teachers knew it, no parents knew it.
Now, maybe it is hard to imagine a love story coming out of this situation, but one did. A love story where somebody went out of his way and took action at a key moment for love. Robbie Brown tells what happened.
Now, maybe it is hard to imagine a love story coming out of this situation, but one did. A love story where somebody went out of his way and took action at a key moment for love. Robbie Brown tells what happened.
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Robbie Brown
The plan was called Operation D Minus. And one of the schools included in the plan was Park Vista Community High School, where a kid named Justin Laboy, an 18-year-old honor roll student, was in the last semester of his senior year. And Justin could hardly believe his luck when a very pretty new girl-- everyone had noticed her-- showed up in not just one, but two of his classes. |
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Justin
The name that she used was Naomi. I think it was Naomi Rodriguez. And she sat in front of me, but then I sat next to her. So I started talking to her. Oh, hey, my name is Justin, you know. Oh, I'm Naomi. I'm from New York, this and that. Oh, really? Me too. And I had a hat that said New York on it too, because I was trying to show her that I wasn't lying or faking it.
She said she was from Queens. I'm from the Bronx. And she was Puerto Rican and Dominican. And that's what caught me even more. I was like, oh, man. OK. And I was Puerto Rican. And I was talking to her a little Spanish. She talked to me in a little Spanish.
And then I just got really close to her. I got attached real quick. I was like, wow, look at this.
Robbie Brown
What did she look like?
Justin
She was about 5' 4", black straight hair, light-skinned. She was mature body-wise, so that caught a lot of people's attention. But the things that she did that I thought made her a real student was that she would sleep in class. She wouldn't do her homework. I would have to wake her up all the time, be like, hey, listen, wake up. You're going to get in trouble. Hey, oh, you didn't do your homework? OK, I'll let you copy my homework.
Because, I mean, I take my classes seriously. But with her, it was different. I was just like, oh, man, you know? Wow, you know, she's cute. I could talk to her. I'd get in trouble once in a while. It would be like, Justin, stop talking. OK.
Robbie Brown
Justin's a good-looking guy, popular and well-liked. He'd had girlfriends before but nothing that lasted. Nothing that seemed worth holding on to. But Naomi seemed different.
She was a good listener. She didn't seem to gossip or play games. She seemed very adult.
Justin
It's the maturity level that I really cared for. I told her a lot of my feelings. I told her how I felt for her. I mean, I'm not the type of person to open up to you unless we have a really good relationship. And I was just opened up so much. I told her about my whole life story, about my parents. I told her problems I had.
Robbie Brown
What was it about her that made you trust her? That made you feel like you could open up to her?
Justin
She had told me that she came up here with her mother. That they was having problems in New York, so they came over here to Florida to settle down, to have a better life. And little stuff like that, telling people, I believed that, oh, wow. OK, since you're telling me stuff like this, then I can tell you about my life.
Yeah, I'm having hard troubles with this person right here. Or I'm having trouble with my parents. Little stuff like that makes people bond together.
Robbie Brown
Justin believed he was seeing the signs that Naomi was starting to like him. Like him like him.
They walked together in the halls. They would text during class. He says she even let him kiss her on the cheek. And he serenaded her in front of their entire class.
Justin
I'd be like, oh, I'm going to sing you a song. She'd be like, oh, OK. And then I'd just start singing. And then I'll get all blushed up. And be like, oh, man, what am I doing? OK, let me continue. I'll start rapping to her, and then I started singing. And I mean, I even danced too. So I danced for her and I--
Robbie Brown
You really liked this girl.
Justin
Man, it tore me apart. I was like, oh my god.
Robbie Brown
So you felt like all the signs were good?
Justin
Oh, of course. I felt all the signs were good, because I never got a non-sign. So therefore, I was just like, OK, everything's good. I know I'm taking it slow. I know I'm taking it good. Usually, it doesn't take me that long to get a girlfriend when I start talking to them. So when it took me-- I found it kind of odd. I was like, wow, I'm such a great dude. And we're hanging out. What's the next step? I don't care about sex and everything. I just want to know if you're going to be mine.
Robbie Brown
So she was playing kind of hard to get?
Justin
Yes. I mean, me, I love that. So it attracted me even more. I love girls that guys can't have. So I'm like, this is awesome.
Robbie Brown
And in hindsight, she was probably playing hard to get for a different reason.
Justin
Yes, for a different reason.
Robbie Brown
All of this built up, inevitably, to Justin asking Naomi to prom.
The name that she used was Naomi. I think it was Naomi Rodriguez. And she sat in front of me, but then I sat next to her. So I started talking to her. Oh, hey, my name is Justin, you know. Oh, I'm Naomi. I'm from New York, this and that. Oh, really? Me too. And I had a hat that said New York on it too, because I was trying to show her that I wasn't lying or faking it.
She said she was from Queens. I'm from the Bronx. And she was Puerto Rican and Dominican. And that's what caught me even more. I was like, oh, man. OK. And I was Puerto Rican. And I was talking to her a little Spanish. She talked to me in a little Spanish.
And then I just got really close to her. I got attached real quick. I was like, wow, look at this.
Robbie Brown
What did she look like?
Justin
She was about 5' 4", black straight hair, light-skinned. She was mature body-wise, so that caught a lot of people's attention. But the things that she did that I thought made her a real student was that she would sleep in class. She wouldn't do her homework. I would have to wake her up all the time, be like, hey, listen, wake up. You're going to get in trouble. Hey, oh, you didn't do your homework? OK, I'll let you copy my homework.
Because, I mean, I take my classes seriously. But with her, it was different. I was just like, oh, man, you know? Wow, you know, she's cute. I could talk to her. I'd get in trouble once in a while. It would be like, Justin, stop talking. OK.
Robbie Brown
Justin's a good-looking guy, popular and well-liked. He'd had girlfriends before but nothing that lasted. Nothing that seemed worth holding on to. But Naomi seemed different.
She was a good listener. She didn't seem to gossip or play games. She seemed very adult.
Justin
It's the maturity level that I really cared for. I told her a lot of my feelings. I told her how I felt for her. I mean, I'm not the type of person to open up to you unless we have a really good relationship. And I was just opened up so much. I told her about my whole life story, about my parents. I told her problems I had.
Robbie Brown
What was it about her that made you trust her? That made you feel like you could open up to her?
Justin
She had told me that she came up here with her mother. That they was having problems in New York, so they came over here to Florida to settle down, to have a better life. And little stuff like that, telling people, I believed that, oh, wow. OK, since you're telling me stuff like this, then I can tell you about my life.
Yeah, I'm having hard troubles with this person right here. Or I'm having trouble with my parents. Little stuff like that makes people bond together.
Robbie Brown
Justin believed he was seeing the signs that Naomi was starting to like him. Like him like him.
They walked together in the halls. They would text during class. He says she even let him kiss her on the cheek. And he serenaded her in front of their entire class.
Justin
I'd be like, oh, I'm going to sing you a song. She'd be like, oh, OK. And then I'd just start singing. And then I'll get all blushed up. And be like, oh, man, what am I doing? OK, let me continue. I'll start rapping to her, and then I started singing. And I mean, I even danced too. So I danced for her and I--
Robbie Brown
You really liked this girl.
Justin
Man, it tore me apart. I was like, oh my god.
Robbie Brown
So you felt like all the signs were good?
Justin
Oh, of course. I felt all the signs were good, because I never got a non-sign. So therefore, I was just like, OK, everything's good. I know I'm taking it slow. I know I'm taking it good. Usually, it doesn't take me that long to get a girlfriend when I start talking to them. So when it took me-- I found it kind of odd. I was like, wow, I'm such a great dude. And we're hanging out. What's the next step? I don't care about sex and everything. I just want to know if you're going to be mine.
Robbie Brown
So she was playing kind of hard to get?
Justin
Yes. I mean, me, I love that. So it attracted me even more. I love girls that guys can't have. So I'm like, this is awesome.
Robbie Brown
And in hindsight, she was probably playing hard to get for a different reason.
Justin
Yes, for a different reason.
Robbie Brown
All of this built up, inevitably, to Justin asking Naomi to prom.
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She's a senior, I'm a senior. Our last year, I don't know where we're going to be after this. So let me just step up, and be a man, and do what I got to do. So I went up to her in class. And I was like, listen, I know you don't know anybody in this school that much. And I don't want to go to anybody in this school. And I feel really attracted to you. Would you like to come with me to prom? Oh, that sounds nice. OK. Excuse me, let me think about it. |
I was blushing red. I was like, oh my god, what if she says no? What if she says yes? And after she gave me the OK, yeah, around the more of a yes side, I was OK. I was good. Good.
Naomi
You know, prom was coming up. And I guess he needed a date.
Robbie Brown
I interviewed the undercover officer who played Naomi. She's a 25-year-old new recruit with the Palm Beach School's police force. She wouldn't give me her real name, and only agreed to a phone interview if her supervising sergeant could listen in. She wouldn't talk to me about any specific cases, or kids at the school, including Justin. But she did confirm that she was asked to prom. She doesn't remember it quite the way Justin does though. Mainly, she says she didn't say yes.
Naomi
I told him I wasn't going just because, since this is not where I spent the last three years of high school, I didn't really want to go to the prom. And I had to pay for the ticket and everything else. I was like, no, it's too much money for me. And he bought it.
Robbie Brown
Justin and Naomi didn't end up going to prom, of course. Partly because of what happened next.
One day at the beginning of April, after Naomi had been at school for about three months, she and Justin had a conversation about drugs.
Justin
She asked me if I smoked. And I told her, no, I do not smoke. But if you need anything, I'll be more than happy to help you out. So like I said, I'm not a drug dealer. It's hard for me to get drugs at all. So it's not like she told me this day, and then I got it for her the very next day. It took me a while, you know?
She would text me, and I would text her. She'd be like, do you have it yet? No, I don't have it at the moment right now. And she would be at school, hey, do you have that yet? No, I don't have it right now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm really trying. My heart is to get it, and I can't get it. Because I liked the girl.
Robbie Brown
What are you thinking as you're trying to get this pot to sell to her?
Justin
I'm thinking, what the heck am I doing? Like I had never done this in the school before. So I'm really scared and skeptical about it, too, at the same point. And I'm like, oh, man. OK. So I'm asking my home boy. And my friend is like, no-- I don't know. Because I don't hang out with guys like that.
Robbie Brown
Maybe Justin didn't know guys like that, and maybe he did. The police say he told Naomi he smoked pot. Justin says he was just trying to seem cool to impress her. But what's certain is he did find somebody who would sell to him, a person his cousin knew, he says.
So a couple days after they first talked about it, Justin brought a rolled up baggie of marijuana to school for Naomi.
Justin
And I was petrified. I was like, oh my god. I'm actually going to do this.
So we were in class. And I sat right next to her. And she was like, hey, do you have that? And I was like, you know what? Yeah, I do. And I was like, OK, we're going to wait a few. Because I'm not going to be like, oh, hey, give it to her in her hand, slide it. But she was like, OK, put it in my purse. OK. She put her purse on top of my desk. And then I slid it right in there.
She goes, OK, now take the money. I was like, no, I don't need the money. It's OK. Just have it. You can take it.
Naomi
You know, prom was coming up. And I guess he needed a date.
Robbie Brown
I interviewed the undercover officer who played Naomi. She's a 25-year-old new recruit with the Palm Beach School's police force. She wouldn't give me her real name, and only agreed to a phone interview if her supervising sergeant could listen in. She wouldn't talk to me about any specific cases, or kids at the school, including Justin. But she did confirm that she was asked to prom. She doesn't remember it quite the way Justin does though. Mainly, she says she didn't say yes.
Naomi
I told him I wasn't going just because, since this is not where I spent the last three years of high school, I didn't really want to go to the prom. And I had to pay for the ticket and everything else. I was like, no, it's too much money for me. And he bought it.
Robbie Brown
Justin and Naomi didn't end up going to prom, of course. Partly because of what happened next.
One day at the beginning of April, after Naomi had been at school for about three months, she and Justin had a conversation about drugs.
Justin
She asked me if I smoked. And I told her, no, I do not smoke. But if you need anything, I'll be more than happy to help you out. So like I said, I'm not a drug dealer. It's hard for me to get drugs at all. So it's not like she told me this day, and then I got it for her the very next day. It took me a while, you know?
She would text me, and I would text her. She'd be like, do you have it yet? No, I don't have it at the moment right now. And she would be at school, hey, do you have that yet? No, I don't have it right now. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm really trying. My heart is to get it, and I can't get it. Because I liked the girl.
Robbie Brown
What are you thinking as you're trying to get this pot to sell to her?
Justin
I'm thinking, what the heck am I doing? Like I had never done this in the school before. So I'm really scared and skeptical about it, too, at the same point. And I'm like, oh, man. OK. So I'm asking my home boy. And my friend is like, no-- I don't know. Because I don't hang out with guys like that.
Robbie Brown
Maybe Justin didn't know guys like that, and maybe he did. The police say he told Naomi he smoked pot. Justin says he was just trying to seem cool to impress her. But what's certain is he did find somebody who would sell to him, a person his cousin knew, he says.
So a couple days after they first talked about it, Justin brought a rolled up baggie of marijuana to school for Naomi.
Justin
And I was petrified. I was like, oh my god. I'm actually going to do this.
So we were in class. And I sat right next to her. And she was like, hey, do you have that? And I was like, you know what? Yeah, I do. And I was like, OK, we're going to wait a few. Because I'm not going to be like, oh, hey, give it to her in her hand, slide it. But she was like, OK, put it in my purse. OK. She put her purse on top of my desk. And then I slid it right in there.
She goes, OK, now take the money. I was like, no, I don't need the money. It's OK. Just have it. You can take it.
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She goes, no, please take the money. You make me feel bad.
So 10 minutes passed. And then we're still arguing about it. I'm like, please. No, I don't want the money. And she goes, no, just take the money. Take the money. Please, take the money. It will make me feel better. I'm just like, OK, you know what? Just so you could just shut up, I'll take the money. Don't worry. You're making me feel bad, now that I'm taking the money from you. |
Robbie Brown
How much money?
Justin
$25.
Robbie Brown
And this was at school?
Justin
Yes.
Robbie Brown
Justin would later find out it's a felony in Florida to sell marijuana. And the penalty is even harsher for selling it on school property. In other words, Justin had made an irreversibly bad decision. The worst decision of his life, he says. And since he was over 18, he was legally an adult when he made it.
Finally, in May, the police did a big sweep. They arrested 31 people at several schools, almost all of them students who had sold small amounts of marijuana. Justin was one of them.
Justin
And they said that I had sold to the undercover cop. And I'm weirded out. I'm like, whoa. Who did I ever sell to? And then it just popped into my head that the only person that I ever did give anything to was this female. And I was shocked. My emotions were running. I was just like, oh my god. This is so mean. This is so messed up. How can she do this?
I mean, if it was a guy doing this, if a guy ever tried to come up to me like this, I would have put my hand in his face straight up, and said, no, get out of my face. Please, get out of my face. I don't associate with that. But it's just a female. It's a different feeling that you get for a female than you would when you have your home boy or a guy come up to you and ask you a question like that. Oh, hey, do you smoke? No, no, I don't. Get out of here. It was a different feeling that when you get from a girl you like. You're not going to turn down the person that you want to be with.
Robbie Brown
When I talked to the officer who plays Naomi, she said she had no regrets about her undercover work. She's a cop. And she sees it the way a cop does.
Naomi
These kids need to wake up. They need to realize they can't be doing this.
Robbie Brown
And using undercover officers has gotten results. The police in Palm Beach County tried the same tactics again at another group of schools last semester. So far, they've arrested more than 80 people. All have pled guilty to charges ranging from selling cocaine and pills to bringing weapons on school property.
Justin took a plea deal, three years probation in exchange for pleading guilty to the felony charge. His lawyer told him that if he went to trial, it would be his word against Naomi's. And they disagreed about the drug deal.
He says she kept asking him to sell her marijuana. She says he brought it up first. He says she insisted he take money for it. She says he just took the money without prompting. Either way, the police had Justin's text messages telling Naomi he would get marijuana for her. So Justin's lawyer advised him, just take the plea.
But before the deal came through, he spent more than a week in jail going over and over in his mind what had happened. And still thinking, in spite of himself, about Naomi.
Justin
I would have a good time when I would be with her. And I would be with her all the time. And that's why, when all this collapsed and caved in, I felt so-- it just hurt.
Robbie Brown
Have you had any contact with Naomi--
Justin
No, not--
Robbie Brown
--since you were arrested?
Justin
Not at all.
Robbie Brown
Have you tried to send her any messages?
Justin
No. I don't have any contact with her whatsoever. If I would, I would love to have a conversation with her. No disrespect or anything.
Robbie Brown
What would you tell her?
Justin
I would tell her, what the heck did she do?
How much money?
Justin
$25.
Robbie Brown
And this was at school?
Justin
Yes.
Robbie Brown
Justin would later find out it's a felony in Florida to sell marijuana. And the penalty is even harsher for selling it on school property. In other words, Justin had made an irreversibly bad decision. The worst decision of his life, he says. And since he was over 18, he was legally an adult when he made it.
Finally, in May, the police did a big sweep. They arrested 31 people at several schools, almost all of them students who had sold small amounts of marijuana. Justin was one of them.
Justin
And they said that I had sold to the undercover cop. And I'm weirded out. I'm like, whoa. Who did I ever sell to? And then it just popped into my head that the only person that I ever did give anything to was this female. And I was shocked. My emotions were running. I was just like, oh my god. This is so mean. This is so messed up. How can she do this?
I mean, if it was a guy doing this, if a guy ever tried to come up to me like this, I would have put my hand in his face straight up, and said, no, get out of my face. Please, get out of my face. I don't associate with that. But it's just a female. It's a different feeling that you get for a female than you would when you have your home boy or a guy come up to you and ask you a question like that. Oh, hey, do you smoke? No, no, I don't. Get out of here. It was a different feeling that when you get from a girl you like. You're not going to turn down the person that you want to be with.
Robbie Brown
When I talked to the officer who plays Naomi, she said she had no regrets about her undercover work. She's a cop. And she sees it the way a cop does.
Naomi
These kids need to wake up. They need to realize they can't be doing this.
Robbie Brown
And using undercover officers has gotten results. The police in Palm Beach County tried the same tactics again at another group of schools last semester. So far, they've arrested more than 80 people. All have pled guilty to charges ranging from selling cocaine and pills to bringing weapons on school property.
Justin took a plea deal, three years probation in exchange for pleading guilty to the felony charge. His lawyer told him that if he went to trial, it would be his word against Naomi's. And they disagreed about the drug deal.
He says she kept asking him to sell her marijuana. She says he brought it up first. He says she insisted he take money for it. She says he just took the money without prompting. Either way, the police had Justin's text messages telling Naomi he would get marijuana for her. So Justin's lawyer advised him, just take the plea.
But before the deal came through, he spent more than a week in jail going over and over in his mind what had happened. And still thinking, in spite of himself, about Naomi.
Justin
I would have a good time when I would be with her. And I would be with her all the time. And that's why, when all this collapsed and caved in, I felt so-- it just hurt.
Robbie Brown
Have you had any contact with Naomi--
Justin
No, not--
Robbie Brown
--since you were arrested?
Justin
Not at all.
Robbie Brown
Have you tried to send her any messages?
Justin
No. I don't have any contact with her whatsoever. If I would, I would love to have a conversation with her. No disrespect or anything.
Robbie Brown
What would you tell her?
Justin
I would tell her, what the heck did she do?
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Robbie Brown
Justin had planned to go into the Air Force after high school. He said he wanted to make something out of his life. And now, with a felony conviction, the Armed Forces, any part of it, was off the table. Justin is applying to community college. He says now the whole thing seems kind of unbelievable. He was an honor roll student, a first time offender with no criminal record. And of all the high schools in all the towns in all the world, she walked into his. Today's second story, "Guilt" is on paper, but it is also below: |
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