Four Medical Marijuana Sellers Indicted in California

A press release from the United States Attorney's Office District of California reveals that owners and managers of four marijuana dispensaries have been indicted on federal criminal charges. Two of these dispensaries are located in West Hollywood, one in Corona, and one in Morro Bay.

These charges include the distribution of large quantities of marijuana and distribution of marijuana to minors. These criminal activities resulted in huge profits for the offenders. A medical doctor has also been indicted for writing marijuana prescriptions to individuals for payment.

The press release describes how voters in California adopted Proposition 215. This proposition allows the distribution of marijuana in specific medical cases. Federal law, however, states that the distribution of marijuana is illegal in any form.

Charles C. Lynch was the owner and operator of the store involved in the Morro Bay indictment. His store was called the "Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers" marijuana store. The indictment against Lynch alleges that Lynch and his employees sold over 2 million dollars in marijuana to store customers over a one year period. The indictment also claims that Lynch distributed marijuana to nearly 300 minors during this same time period.

Dr. Tollette, an individual also charged in the indictment associated with the Morro Bay Store, is charged with writing marijuana recommendations to patrons of Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers. Tollette supposedly wrote marijuana recommendations for minors and failed to conduct adequate physical examinations before writing many of his recommendations. Instead, he allegedly wrote them for payment.

A separate indictment charges two individuals, Larry R. Kristich and James Carberry, with operating a chain of marijuana stores from the Bay Area to San Diego. These stores, which also operated under the name "Compassionate Caregivers", purportedly sold over 95 million dollars worth of marijuana. The indictment also indicates that the owners of this store worked with a business associate who set up a non-drug related business to launder the marijuana profits.

Two other stores operating in West Hollywood have received similar charges and have sold amounts of marijuana totaling in the millions. These stores distributed huge amounts of marijuana and other THC containing substances. Yet another Corona based store operating under the name of "Healing Nations Collective" has been charged similarly, selling over one million dollars worth of marijuana in a nine month period.

Conspiracy to distribute marijuana carries a maximum sentence of forty years under federal law. The names of these stores and the passage into state law of propositions allowing uses of marijuana makes clear that many individuals believe that marijuana distribution should be legal under some circumstances. These stores, however, will have to fight federal law which, as yet, holds that any marijuana distribution is illegal.

Sources:

United States Attorney's Office District of California, http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/cac/news/pr2007/093.html