N.Z. Woman Charged

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32383, 24 August 1970, Page 12

N.Z. Woman Charged

(N.Z.P-A -Reuter—Copyright) MODENA (Italy), Aug. 21. A New Zealand woman from Christchurch, Helen Melhopt, aged 23, was among a party of four persons given prison sentences in Modena yesterday on charges of importing and selling drugs. The prosecution said they came to Italy from Turkey, where one of them had bought about 641 b of hashish. In Modena, they were followed by the police who found them trying to sell some to local youths. Miss Melhopt, the fiancee of Douglas Edward Nogara, aged 27, of San Francisco, who was also charged and sentenced, was given one year and four months imprisonment, of

which she was pardoned one year, but was immediately released, as she had been in custody since the arrest of her party on December 3 last. Nogara was sentenced to two years and a half imprisonment and fined $950. He was pardoned one year, and the whole fine.

Richard Ford, aged 42, of San Diego, who had bought the hashish, was sentenced to four years and a half imprisonment, and fined $2500, of which he was pardoned one year’s imprisonment and $1450. His wife, Carolyn Ford, aged 23, was sentenced to two years and two months imprisonment and fined $365. One year of her sentence and the whole fine were pardoned..