ReeferSmoke – A Marijuana Blog

In South Lake Tahoe, California, a former South Lake Tahoe police officer was arrested last Thursday on charges he tipped off drug traffickers to upcoming busts, tampered with witnesses, and had sex with underage students at a Lake Tahoe high school

Narcs gone bad, evidence gone missing, cops gone over to the other side, and another jailer in trouble. Just another week in the drug war. Let’s get to it:

In Pontiac, Michigan, prosecutors have dismissed 16 drug cases after an investigation determined a deputy on the county’s narcotics enforcement team falsified a search warrant and lied under oath. Deputy Marc Ferguson, 47, a 24-year law enforcement veteran who was fired in December, opened a shipping container without a warrant in June 2011 and discovered 78 pounds of marijuana. He then resealed the container and sought a search warrant from a Pontiac magistrate, signing a sworn affidavit under oath that asked for permission to open the container. Ferguson later denied on the witness stand that he opened the container without a warrant. Drug charges against the defendant in that case were dropped in September, and since then, prosecutors have been sifting through other cases involving Ferguson and have dismissed 15 more in which he was central to the investigation. No word yet on any possible perjury charges.

In Quantico, Virginia, the town’s acting police chief and sole other full-time officer resigned last Tuesday in the wake of an audit that found the department had missing drugs, guns, and cash. At least $1,080 in cash was missing from the evidence room, along with an unknown quantity of marijuana and four handguns. Acting Police Chief Howard Castle and Officer Daryl Robinson resigned at a Tuesday city council meeting. Three of the four handguns have been recovered, and the state continues to investigate. The town has also ordered polygraph tests for its department, which includes four certified volunteer officers.

In South Lake Tahoe, California, a former South Lake Tahoe police officer was arrested last Thursday on charges he tipped off drug traffickers to upcoming busts, tampered with witnesses, and had sex with underage students at a Lake Tahoe high school. John “Johnny” Poland had been on administrative leave for the past year after an investigation that began in March 2010, when he was observed associating with suspects tied to a plot to kill a gang investigator on the police force. He is accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a 17-year-old high school student when he was school resource officer from 2003 to 2006, and since then, he engaged in a pattern of behavior using his position of power to groom underage girls for sex, leak confidential police information to gang members and intimidate potential witnesses. His charges include two counts for corruptly persuading a person to alter, destroy or conceal an object’s integrity or availability for use in an official proceeding, and attempting to do so; and three counts for corruptly persuading another person with the intent to influence the testimony of any person in an official proceeding, and attempting to do so. He is portrayed as being in a love triangle with the girlfriend of a gang leader and as making calls on his personal cell phone to methamphetamine dealers before execution of federal search warrants. At last report, he was being held without bail in the Sacramento County Jail.

In Putnamville, Indiana, a Putnamville jail guard was arrested last Saturday for smuggling drugs in to an inmate. Andreas Kirby, 20, went down after setting off the alarm on a metal detector at work at the jail, and after being interviewed by a police officer, surrendered three packages that were concealed in his groin area. He is charged with trafficking with an inmate, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance. He had only been on the job since September.

In Houston, two Houston police officers were arrested Sunday on charges they took bribes and allowed cocaine to be smuggled and distributed in the Houston area. Officers Emerson Canizales and Michael Miceli allegedly conspired in December to possess cocaine and received payments of $1,000 each for providing protection. They are charged with conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute and accepting bribes for protection services.

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Five of the six pleaded guilty to conspiracy to maintain drug-involved premises; the longest prison sentence handed down was 125 days.

While he didn’t get exactly what he wanted, things could’ve been much worse for Jason Washington, who was found guilty on two counts of growing medical marijuana. Fortunately for him, he was later found not guilty of additional weapons charges, which would have landed him a significantly longer sentence. Relieved – and no doubt ready to smoke a fat joint, Mr. Washington was allowed to walk out of the US district court in Missoula Montana.

Jason was a gifted quarterback at Montana University, (which if I can remember correctly is approximately when I started to grow my first indoor hydro crop). This last thought leads me to the question – I wonder if he began cultivating hydroponic marijuana when he was in college? If so, no doubt it was based on monetary need, so maybe the NCAA should pry open their fat wallets and break off these talented college kids a couple of bucks.

Whatever…

Bottom line is – his Jurors ‘holed up’ in the deliberation room for about 4 hours late Thursday before finally coming out and letting their verdict be known.

“Mr. Washington has been a law-abiding member of this community for a number of years,” he said. “… We will keep fighting another day to do everything we can to make sure he gets justice.”

Washington’s businesses – a large marijuana grow operation at the Wye, the Big Sky Health medical cannabis dispensary on Reserve Street and his 406 Motoring automotive shop – were raided in November 2011. Those actions followed similar raids at medical marijuana operations around the state in March 2011. Montana’s thriving medical marijuana industry dried up after those raids.

Washington did not testify during the four-day trial. Several of those who testified against him, including former business associates, received immunity.

Manley hammered at that fact during his closing argument Thursday, questioning why Washington was singled out for prosecution.

Manley said one witness had “a clear and unambiguous motive to lie. He’s here to make payment on his get-out-of-jail-free card. It’s 2013 and he’s walking free.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott said the scenario involving the three businesses “was an ever-changing landscape with people coming and going. But the constant was this defendant.”

Although Manley touched on Washington’s compliance with state medical marijuana regulations, marijuana remains illegal under federal law. Six other people along with Washington originally faced the same drug charges in connection with the raids – charges that carry a mandatory minimum penalty of up to five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years, as well as a $5 million fine.

Five of the six pleaded guilty to conspiracy to maintain drug-involved premises; the longest prison sentence handed down was 125 days. The indictment against the sixth person was thrown out.

U.S. District Court Judge Dana Christensen did not set a sentencing date Thursday. He allowed Washington to remain free as long as he complies with certain conditions.Washington played for the Grizzlies in 2005 before being hurt, and sat out the 2006 season because of the injury.

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The city’s industrial 1 and 2 zoning districts stretch for most of Eastern Ave/Route 60, and along parts of the Malden River.

The state’s new medical marijuana law has city councils and planning boards all over the commonwealth preparing. What do you think of Malden’s approach?

The Malden City Council approved new regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries Tuesday night, zoning any future facilities within the city’s industrial areas and barring their operation within 300 feet of residential dwellings, schools, public parks and playgrounds.

The new regulations will also require dispensaries to apply and pay for an annual license with the city.

“This paper is very carefully crafted by our (city) solicitor (Kathryn Fallon), our health director Chris Webb, and (city planner) Michelle Romero,” Councillor Jim Nestor said.

“It should be clear to everybody we do not want these centers in Malden….We felt if we just (banned) them outright, we’d lose a legal challenge to that. This allows us to have complete control.”

The city’s industrial 1 and 2 zoning districts stretch for most of Eastern Ave/Route 60, and along parts of the Malden River.

Massachusetts became the 18th state to legalize medicinal marijuana this year after voters overwhelmingly approved the measure last November.

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Once the cops ran the plates, discorveing the SUV had been stolen from New Mexico earlier the same day

What do a stolen Chevy Tahoe, $115,000 in mexican dirt weed and an 18 year old man-boy have in common? All were rotting in jail following a good sized supprise weed bust late Sunday night in Goddard, Kansas.

The local Police Chief Sam Houston (no kidding) noted in a press release the Chevy Tahoe was pulled over at approxitmatly 10:00 p.m. for a simple traffic stop. Things went south fast from there.

Once the cops ran the plates, discorveing the SUV had been stolen from New Mexico earlier the same day, additionally the police found four bricks of mexican pot hidden in a duffel bag on the SUV’s back seat.

Once a search warrant was obtained by the police, seventy-eight more bricks of pot were later located, each with a wieht of  just over two pounds. Giving this paraquat laced garbage an estimated street value of about $116,000.

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Ariz. Sheriff smoking hot ordered to return Ca. prop 215 medical marijuana

 

Almost as if written for TV (bad TV)… A showdown is setting up between the forces of good and evil.  Depending on how you view marijuana, you can pick your side of the fence. Anyway you slice it there is one California medical marijuana patient who is extremely pleased with the recent ruling of an Arizona appellate court judge. The court recently ruled that the Yuma County sheriff office must return the medical pot that was confiscated from a California prop 215 female, complete with a valid California doctors’ recommendation for the confiscated weed, which is honored by the not so great state of Arizona.

The Court of Appeals’ ruling Thursday says medical marijuana seized from Valerie Okun must be returned to her because Arizona’s medical marijuana law allows people with medical marijuana authorizations from other states to legally possess marijuana in Arizona.

The marijuana was found Okun’s vehicle at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Yuma. State drug charges against her were dismissed after she showed she had authorization under California’s medical marijuana program.

The Arizona court declined to consider prosectors’ argument that federal drug law invalidates Arizona’s medical marijuana law.

The Court of Appeals’ ruling upholds one by a Yuma County Superior Court judge.

Source – SFGate 

At the time Chavez expressed remorse for smoking weed while training, after a post-fight interview where he lost his boxing title to Sergio Martinez. Chavez put the blame for the loss squarely on his shoulders.

The Mexican-born fighter handed his middle-weight World Boxing Council belt over to Sergio Martinez after a lop-sided victory.

Now the Nevada State Athletic Commission will decide the fate of Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in late February.

The 26-year-old Mexican fighter tested positive for marijuana in September after his first professional loss.

At a meeting Tuesday, commissioners asked why Chavez had not yet returned to Nevada for disciplinary action.

Attorney Donald Campbell said the former middleweight champion was stuck in Mexico, unable to obtain a visa.

Chavez could receive a lengthy suspension or a significant fine on his $3 million purse.

Chavez (46-1-1) has already been suspended once, for testing positive for a diuretic in 2009.

His promoter, Bob Arum, said in September that he did not see marijuana as a performance-enhancing drug.

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for identifying the “dick mouth” who did it…

The thief in the bear-mace stickup of a Boulder marijuana dispensary reportedly stole $9,000 worth of weed — a far bigger haul than usual for crimes that typically net little cash or merchandise.

Case in point: This weekend’s burglary at Craig Apothecary, whose pissed-off owner is offering a $1,000 reward for identifying the “dick mouth” who did it… even though he got away with items worth a whole lot less.

The center’s Facebook page features a video with surveillance footage of the crime, which took place at about 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Here’s one image from the clip….

Source – West World 

If a California company has its way, recreational marijuana users in Colorado and Washington state will one day be able to get their pot out of vending machines.

Such machines are already in use in some states where medical marijuana is legal, but now the maker’s founder says the company is working to adapt the machines to comply with new laws in Colorado and Washington, where adults can legally use marijuana for recreation.

The vending machines for medicine require a fingerprint scan to verify the identification of the patient, which is then linked to a prescription on file.

But as Washington and Colorado figure out how to create a legal pot market for the masses, Hollywood-based Medbox, a public company, is offering up its expertise in convenient delivery systems.

“One day we envision these machines to be accessed, when it’s allowed, 24 hours a day,” Vincent Mehdizadeh, the founder and chief consultant of a subsidiary of Medbox that produces, installs and consults on the vending business, told NBC News. “One day in the future that may happen, but for now these machines sit behind the counter as an inventory control and compliance tool.”

He said the Medbox pot vending machines and consultancy are in high demand in states such as Arizona, Massachusetts and Connecticut that have published medical marijuana regulations. Dispensaries use them to keep marijuana from being pilfered and comply with laws.

So where will all that ‘legal’ pot come from? Sale of pot stymied

Medbox is now offering to work with Washington and Colorado officials who are mobilizing to create the framework for a legal marijuana industry – and to collect taxes on pot sales.

“These machines behind the counter act an inventory control and taxation tracking tool so that the states can effectively track the taxes and collect on them more efficiently with real-time reporting directly from the machine to the state database,” Mehdizadeh said.

The company also helps operators get licensed in states that have licensing programs.

“We’ve probably been the most successful consulting firm in the marijuana business,” he said.

Mikhail Carpenter, spokesman for Washington’s Liquor Control Board, said Medbox has been in contact with the state but at this point no outside vendors have been chosen to help with marijuana sales.

Under state law, marijuana and marijuana-infused products, Carpenter said, would have to be sold from inside the confines of a retail outlet.

“So I can’t imagine with the way the law is written that you would see vending machines on the street corner,” Carpenter told NBC News.

In November, Washington and Colorado voters passed initiatives to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Those laws went into effect last month.

Buzzkill: Feds fire warning shot over pot legalization

In Washington state, voter-approved Initiative 502 made it legal for anyone 21 or over to possess up to an ounce of marijuana, 16 ounces of “solid marijuana-infused product” (pot brownies and such) or 72 ounces of “marijuana-infused liquid.

Washington’s Liquor Control Board has until Dec. 1 to develop rules for implementation of its new recreational marijuana law.

Watch the most-viewed videos on NBCNews.com

Colorado, under Amendment 64 to the state Constitution, legalized not only recreational use, but also home growing, which is still illegal in Washington.

Growing, selling and possessing marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and the federal government is reviewing options in both Washington and Colorado.

President Barack Obama last month weighed in on the issue, telling ABC’s Barbara Walters the federal government has more important things to do than go after recreational marijuana users.

“We have bigger fish to fry,” he told Walters.

Source – NBC News

“By jumping the gun and opening early I absolutely screwed myself out of my building…”

Well that was fast … Grand opening, grand closing – all within the same 24 hour period. Apparently some landlords are sticklers about the contracts they sign… Particularly when it comes to taking occupancy and opening up shop before you are legally given possession. Which is exactly what the recreational – BYOP smoking club in Colorado had done.

A BYOP (bring your own pot) club by the name of the White Horse Inn, in the remote and miniscule southern Colorado town of Del Norte, fired up for business Monday as the first in the state to offer their clients the opportunity to smoke some good weed with their cup of caffeine laced coffee. However the upset owner noted late Tuesday morning, due to the tenets inability to follow the contract, the business is been closed and the contract canceled.

Though Lovato (the tenant) had the keys to the building that housed the White Horse Inn on Monday, his lease on the building didn’t start until Tuesday. The would be tenant said, when his new landlord noticed the national publicity his new club received, he immediately voided the lease before it took effect.

“By jumping the gun and opening early I absolutely screwed myself out of my building,” Lovato said Tuesday.

Colorado voters in November legalized use and limited possession of marijuana. Though it currently remains illegal to sell non-medical weed in the state — recreational pot shops won’t be able to get licenses to open for about another year — the law allows people to give marijuana to one another without compensation.

Lovato’s business model called for having a storefront where customers could buy coffee, T-shirts and other items and then a private building next door where they could smoke free samples of marijuana. He had planned to open just after New Year’s Eve ticked over into New Year’s Day. But pressure from another cannabis venue — Denver’s Club 64, a members-only gathering that intends to stage at different spots throughout the year — caused Lovato to speed up his timetable.

Lovato said he opened for a few hours during the day Monday, long enough to be the first in the state and to draw the media attention that came with the distinction.

“Wow guys!” Lovato wrote on the club’s Facebook page. “Today was a blast and a blur!”

The publicity also drew the attention of his landlord, who was less thrilled about the business, Lovato said.

“It was really unexpected,” he said. “I got caught up in the whole, ‘I want to be the first to open’ thing. And I did that. I was the first. … I’m pretty proud of that.”

Lovato said he may adopt Club 64′s model for the next year and then try to open a recreational marijuana shop when he’s allowed to. Until then, he said, he will do what he can to keep his vision for the White Horse Inn as alive as possible.

After Monday’s opening, Lovato said he got calls from people in New Mexico who wanted to drive up to visit. He expected them to arrive sometime Tuesday morning.

“We’re doing the White Horse Inn at my house today,” he said.

Source - Denver Post 

Voters and legislators alike have asked cops to end these kinds of busts

When done properly a good article has the ability to produce anger, in addition to the much-needed awareness. Medical marijuana and weed legalization supporters are often easily perturbed when they’re high has been violated, however last week’s S.F. rag, the Bay Citizen story of a militaristic like surge in police marijuana buy-busts in San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury district had them going apocalyptic.

There’s a reason why drug war opponents in San Francisco get angry when SFPD goes about busting low-level marijuana offenders: It’s supposed to be against the law. In San Francisco, voters and legislators alike have ruled that a $20 nickel sack of pot is supposed to be police officers’ “lowest priority,” and certainly not enough to warrant an investigation from a veteran cop with nearly 40 years experience (some of it spent busting the same people who made medical marijuana legal) working undercover, that results in felony charges.

The problem is, there are other laws on the books — such as the law making marijuana illegal. Guess which one wins?

The man on the street in the Haight is new Park Police Station Capt. Greg Corrales. The 64-year old Vietnam-era Marine, a former head of narcotics, has been at the police station in Golden Gate Park since June, the Bay Citizen’s Shoshana Walter reports, and has stepped up “buy-bust” operations in the area at the behest of police Chief Greg Suhr.

The crowd at Haight and Stanyan streets selling a High Sierra Music Festival-worthy pharmacopeia are nuisance to some, Haight-Ashbury landscape to others. But it appears the former perception is winning out, as residents and merchants are complaining about the young hooligans and wayward youth in greater numbers — and SFPD is responding.

Corrales and other cops dress in street clothes and seek out marijuana salesmen. When someone unlucky enough to offer the Disney-jersey-clad cop a $20 dime bag, he or she is arrested — and then charged with a felony by District Attorney George Gascón, the former chief of police.

Voters and legislators alike have asked cops to end these kinds of busts — not once, but several times over the past 20 years. The Board of Supervisors first passed a “lowest-priority” ordinance, deeming it city policy for the Police Commission and chief of police to de-prioritize low-level weed busts, in 1992. Another version of the law, authored by now Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, was passed in 2006.

SFPD listened … for a while. In 2006, then-Chief Heather Fong gave the law teeth when she issued a departmental bulletin. But under successor police chiefs Gascon and Jeff Godown, marijuana arrests increased. Statistics for arrests under Suhr’s tenure have yet to be produced.

“We put it on the ballot in San Francisco long ago and citizens wanted marijuana enforcement to be the lowest priority for police,” Ammiano said in an e-mailed statement. “Now, with Colorado and Washington going in that direction there’s one upper officer who wants to play cops and robbers instead of worrying about real problems. People in the neighborhood have some fair complaints about what’s happening there, but this is not going to solve it. We need real policy change on marijuana and shouldn’t waste resources on a minor issue.”

While many thought that lowest-priority meant marijuana was legal, others admitted at the time that it was largely symbolic. Drug-dealing — the section of criminal code makes no distinction between $20 worth of marijuana or $2,000 worth of meth for sale, it’s the same citation — is still illegal, police spokesman Sgt. Michael Andraychak pointed out. Cops perform buy-bust operations, and if it’s marijuana and not something “harder,” so be it: the law is the law.

“The department must respond to complaints of drug dealing and illegal activity and takes such complaints seriously,” Andraychak said in an e-mail. “Drug dealing is a felony and there are usually associated side effects such as, blight, deterioration of neighborhood, robbery, turf disputes, gang issues and quality of life issues that arise as a result of street sales of drugs.”

As it turns out, even when demanded by brass, these buy-bust stings aren’t a big priority: there were five arrests for marijuana sales by Park Station police over the week of Dec. 14 to 21, all on Dec. 16, according to Corrales’s most-recent station newsletter.

The real issue, as Walter reported, may be the people now in the criminal justice system for selling $20 worth of a substance that local law says is mostly benign and somewhat medical. Is a $20 sack worthy of a felony charge? Maybe, maybe not, but that is for now the law.

Source – S.F. Blog