Jacob Bell
New Member
A Denver-area marijuana grower who was controversially arrested last February was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison on Friday.
Chris Bartkowicz of Highlands Ranch, Colorado was arrested at his home in February, 2010 after DEA agents saw a segment about his medical-marijuana grow operation on local news.
"Whether it's a small grow or a big grow, I don't think the average person realizes how close to their front door it is," Bartkowicz told KUSA in Denver during a segment on Colorado's burgeoning medical marijuana industry.
Days later, DEA agents arrived at Bartkowicz's house, confiscated the marijuana plants he had been growing in his basement, and charged him with felony Marijuana Possession with Intent to Sell, a crime punishable by up to 40 years in prison.
The arrest send shockwaves through the medical marijuana community, as Bartkowicz was a licensed medical marijuana caregiver in Colorado.
Marijuana-rights activists pointed to a guidance the Obama administration issued shortly after taking office that directed law federal enforcement officials "not to focus federal resources in your States on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws."
The DEA says that it had reasonable evidence that Bartkowicz was not in "clear and unambiguous" compliance with Colorado law, as the number of plants he was growing exceeded the amount he was allowed under state law.
n August, a federal judge ruled that Bartkowicz could not use state law as a defense.
In October, Bartkowicz pleaded guilty in exchange for a sentence of 60 months on prison. District Court Judge Philip Brimmer accepted the deal on Friday saying that he "miserably failed" to abide by state marijuana law.
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: huffingtonpost.com
Contact: Contact us
Copyright: TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
Website: Chris Bartkowicz Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison
Chris Bartkowicz of Highlands Ranch, Colorado was arrested at his home in February, 2010 after DEA agents saw a segment about his medical-marijuana grow operation on local news.
"Whether it's a small grow or a big grow, I don't think the average person realizes how close to their front door it is," Bartkowicz told KUSA in Denver during a segment on Colorado's burgeoning medical marijuana industry.
Days later, DEA agents arrived at Bartkowicz's house, confiscated the marijuana plants he had been growing in his basement, and charged him with felony Marijuana Possession with Intent to Sell, a crime punishable by up to 40 years in prison.
The arrest send shockwaves through the medical marijuana community, as Bartkowicz was a licensed medical marijuana caregiver in Colorado.
Marijuana-rights activists pointed to a guidance the Obama administration issued shortly after taking office that directed law federal enforcement officials "not to focus federal resources in your States on individuals whose actions are in clear and unambiguous compliance with existing state laws."
The DEA says that it had reasonable evidence that Bartkowicz was not in "clear and unambiguous" compliance with Colorado law, as the number of plants he was growing exceeded the amount he was allowed under state law.
n August, a federal judge ruled that Bartkowicz could not use state law as a defense.
In October, Bartkowicz pleaded guilty in exchange for a sentence of 60 months on prison. District Court Judge Philip Brimmer accepted the deal on Friday saying that he "miserably failed" to abide by state marijuana law.
News Hawk- GuitarMan313 420 MAGAZINE
Source: huffingtonpost.com
Contact: Contact us
Copyright: TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
Website: Chris Bartkowicz Sentenced To 5 Years In Prison
