Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Medical marijuana entrepreneur Jason Christ was arrested Wednesday for allegedly traveling to Arizona in violation of a court order that he stay within Montana while awaiting trial on intimidation charges.
Shortly before 5 p.m., Missoula police officers handcuffed Christ at his Front Street offices and hustled him into a waiting patrol car as an officer from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration stood by. Police removed a pair of chopsticks from his jacket pocket before putting him in the car.
His release on bond was revoked and he was taken to the Missoula County Detention Facility, with a $50,000 bail requested.
It was the second time in four months that law enforcement has taken action at Christ's offices. In November, authorities searched his office on allegations that he kept hundreds of signed, blank doctors' recommendations on hand, and altered checks for filing fees to the state agency that keeps medical marijuana records, according to the search warrant.
At a Missoula County Justice Court appearance in January on the intimidation charges, Christ specifically sought permission to travel within the state between Missoula, where he runs a business that provides doctors' recommendations for people seeking medical marijuana cards, and Helena, where he's a lobbyist on medical marijuana issues before the Legislature.
Missoula County Justice of the Peace John Odlin granted that request as a condition of Christ's release.
But on Feb. 22, Missoula International Airport public safety supervisor Dave Kreis called Missoula Police Detective Sgt. Collin Rose to report that Christ flew from Missoula to Mesa, Ariz., on Allegiant Air, according to a motion from the Missoula County Attorney's Office to revoke Christ's release.
Christ owns the Montana Caregivers Network - more recently called CannabisCare - that gained notoriety by signing up hundreds of medical marijuana patients in a single day at its traveling "cannabis caravans" and via teleconferences with doctors. In November, the state Board of Medical Examiners banned such video teleconferences.
Christ faces a felony intimidation charge in connection with an alleged Aug. 18 bomb threat against the Verizon store on South Reserve Street.
Christ allegedly called to complain about his service, according to court papers filed in the case. The caller threatened "kick the ( expletive ) out of your store and break things and knock over computers and knock over stands and basically be a son of a bitch because I can."
And the call, which was recorded, continued, "( Expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, you piece of ( expletive )."
Christ faces two counts of intimidation, a felony that carries a penalty of 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, and a misdemeanor charge of privacy in communications, punishable by six months in jail and a $500 fine.
In addition to limiting his travel, Odlin in January ordered Christ not to have any contact with the Verizon employees, and restrained him from their offices.
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Missoulian (MT)
Copyright: 2011 Missoulian
Contact: oped@missoulian.com
Website: Missoulian: News And Resources For Western Montana
Details: MapInc
Author: Gwen Florio
Shortly before 5 p.m., Missoula police officers handcuffed Christ at his Front Street offices and hustled him into a waiting patrol car as an officer from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration stood by. Police removed a pair of chopsticks from his jacket pocket before putting him in the car.
His release on bond was revoked and he was taken to the Missoula County Detention Facility, with a $50,000 bail requested.
It was the second time in four months that law enforcement has taken action at Christ's offices. In November, authorities searched his office on allegations that he kept hundreds of signed, blank doctors' recommendations on hand, and altered checks for filing fees to the state agency that keeps medical marijuana records, according to the search warrant.
At a Missoula County Justice Court appearance in January on the intimidation charges, Christ specifically sought permission to travel within the state between Missoula, where he runs a business that provides doctors' recommendations for people seeking medical marijuana cards, and Helena, where he's a lobbyist on medical marijuana issues before the Legislature.
Missoula County Justice of the Peace John Odlin granted that request as a condition of Christ's release.
But on Feb. 22, Missoula International Airport public safety supervisor Dave Kreis called Missoula Police Detective Sgt. Collin Rose to report that Christ flew from Missoula to Mesa, Ariz., on Allegiant Air, according to a motion from the Missoula County Attorney's Office to revoke Christ's release.
Christ owns the Montana Caregivers Network - more recently called CannabisCare - that gained notoriety by signing up hundreds of medical marijuana patients in a single day at its traveling "cannabis caravans" and via teleconferences with doctors. In November, the state Board of Medical Examiners banned such video teleconferences.
Christ faces a felony intimidation charge in connection with an alleged Aug. 18 bomb threat against the Verizon store on South Reserve Street.
Christ allegedly called to complain about his service, according to court papers filed in the case. The caller threatened "kick the ( expletive ) out of your store and break things and knock over computers and knock over stands and basically be a son of a bitch because I can."
And the call, which was recorded, continued, "( Expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, ( expletive ) you, you piece of ( expletive )."
Christ faces two counts of intimidation, a felony that carries a penalty of 10 years in prison and a $50,000 fine, and a misdemeanor charge of privacy in communications, punishable by six months in jail and a $500 fine.
In addition to limiting his travel, Odlin in January ordered Christ not to have any contact with the Verizon employees, and restrained him from their offices.
NewsHawk: Jim Behr: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Missoulian (MT)
Copyright: 2011 Missoulian
Contact: oped@missoulian.com
Website: Missoulian: News And Resources For Western Montana
Details: MapInc
Author: Gwen Florio
