The son of General Sessions Court Judge Gary Starnes has been arrested on drug charges.
Bryan Patrick Starnes, 19, is charged with possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
County Deputy Brian Lockhart said he was dispatched late Friday night on a suspicious person call. He said he found a black Landrover at the dead end of 2200 Walking Stick Road.
He said upon speaking to the driver (Bryan Starnes), he could smell a strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. In a search of the vehicle, he found a marijuana pipe in the center console and a black and gold Crown Royal bag in the front passenger floorboard. In the bag he found a marijuana pipe, two bags of suspected marijuana, a marijuana grinder and a bottle of prescription pills (adderall).
The officer arrested him and took him to the county jail.
Judge Starnes issued this statement, "My wife, Carol, and I wish to address the arrest of our 19-year-old adult son, Bryan, on Friday. We are a typical family with three adult children who have made us very proud with their accomplishments in their education and professional lives. Our family and children are no different than your own family.
"Like you, our family strives to be the best that we can be but, at times, our children make mistakes. During those times, it is our job, as parents, to support our children, ensure that they learn from all of their experiences, good and bad, and return to the pursuit of success in their lives. This is a private family matter and we ask that you respect our privacy while we are dealing with this issue."