Indians pitcher Chris Perez is due back in court Sept. 3

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- Indians pitcher Chris Perez and his wife Melanie, both facing misdemeanor drug charges, appeared in Rocky River Municipal Court this morning for a pre-trial conference.

The couple came into the courthouse, but did not enter the courtroom, where their lawyers discussed the exchange of evidence with Rocky River Prosecutor Michael O'Shea.

They are to appear again Sept. 3.

The Perezes arrived at the courthouse before 8:30 a.m. and were whisked away by attorney Gordon Friedman, who represents Melanie Perez, after the couple was confronted by media.

The Perezes sought refuge in the waiting area of the courthouse probation department. At one point, they came out into the building lobby where they huddled with Friedman and Chris Perez's attorney Terry Gilbert.

Perez declined to speak with reporters.

At about 9:30 a.m., Gilbert and Friedman were before Judge Brian Hagan, asking for a continuance.

Perez pitched an inning of scoreless relief late Monday night during a rainy Indians loss to the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field.

The Perezes pleaded not guilty last month to drug abuse, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, after an undercover police officer dressed as a mailman delivered to their home two packages that authorities say contained marijuana.

The Priority Mail packages, addressed to the Perez family dog and mailed from Los Angeles, were intercepted at the Rocky River Post Office after a supervisor detected a skunky smell coming from them, according to a postal service report on the incident.

Postal inspectors opened the packages after obtaining a search warrant. The report states the inspectors found two bags of marijuana totaling more than 9 ounces,  with the bags slathered in petroleum jelly and stuffed in plastic containers.

After resealing the packages, the undercover police officer delivered them to the Perez home, according to the report. The officer was met by Melanie Perez, who confirmed that Brody Baum lived there, the report states.

Brody is the name of the Perez family dog. Baum is Melanie Perez's maiden name. She told the officer the packages were for the dog and to leave them on the porch, according to the report.

Melanie Perez and her husband, who was on the disabled list at the time, then went out to lunch and a movie, leaving their two children with a babysitter, according to the report. After returning home,  the couple found postal inspectors and detectives from the Westshore Enforcement Bureau and Rocky River police searching their home.

A Rocky River police detective wrote in a report that Chis Perez told an officer that marijuana and paraphernalia found in the basement belonged to him.


(plaindealer.com)