The 2014 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival begins next Thursday (June 13) and that means local law enforcement will be out working extra hours. As always several people will be arrested for drug possession and more.
According to figures released by the Coffee County Circuit Court Clerk’s office, Bonnaroo fines and collections for the 2013 event generated $621,127.75.
The money breaks down to $97,235 paid to the sheriff’s department drug fund, the drug task force collected $143,296, and Manchester Police Department drug fund received $50,950. The collections also include $52,024 paid to State of Tennessee fees, which includes litigation tax, non-DUI alcohol and drug addiction fund. The county general fund which is the operating account received $127,550. The Coffee County Drug Court received $80,222.75
The money collected does not reflect fines collected so far this year.
People who are caught with a small amount of drugs on them are issued citations to appear in court. Most of those issued citations pay before their court date rather than return to Manchester to appear in court.
Those who have a large amount of drugs are booked into the county jail.
Sheriff Steve Graves told WMSR News last week that more arrests will present a problem at the current jail. He says they will have to put inmates in the hallways and on the floors because they currently have 300 in the jail built for 193. The new county jail is set to open in a few months.
Coffee County Collected Over $600K From Bonnaroo Fines In 2013
