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Authorities shut down one of Oregon's biggest medical marijuana operations this morning as part of a federal investigation into drug manufacturing and distribution.
About 9:30 a.m. today, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided The High Hopes Farm, Bowman's medical marijuana operation outside Jacksonville. The government brought earth-moving equipment to remove Bowman's crop.
Bowman, a longtime fixture in southern Oregon's medical marijuana community, faces the prospect of federal drug charges. He isn't expected to be taken into police custody today, sources said.
Last spring, Bowman allowed The Oregonian to spend time on his farm and answered wide-ranging questions about his operation. He said at the time that his candor was a high-stakes gamble that could draw law enforcement's attention.
Authorities this morning raided seven grow sites associated with Bowman's Jackson County marijuana operation. Bowman told The Oregonian last spring he would grow 400 this year, each producing an estimated 3 pounds of marijuana.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Portland declined to comment on the raids, saying only that federal drug agents executed search warrants as part of an ongoing investigation.
An analysis of Oregon Medical Marijuana Program data by The Oregonian found Bowman was on track to produce pot for more medical marijuana patients than any other grower in Oregon.
Agents shut down Bowman's operation as southern Oregon's marijuana harvest season approaches.
Lori Duckworth, a medical marijuana activist who lives in Josephine County and works at a medical marijuana resource center in Medford, said she was en route to Bowman's operation to protest the federal government's action.
"I am not on my way here to support James Bowman or High Hopes Farm," she said. "I am here to protest if they seize any of the patients' medicine."
"These patients are now losing their medicine."
Duckworth said she was not surprised by the crackdown on High Hopes.
"He was so large and so frank and so open about his operation that at some point he would be a target," she said.
Martin Hensley, a medical marijuana patient of Bowman's who lives in Portland, was stunned.
"Are you serious," said Hensley. "Lord, have mercy. I can't believe it. What am I going to do?"
Hensley said he planned to get more marijuana from Bowman in November.
"It leaves me empty-handed," he said.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: oregonlive.com
Author: Noelle Crombie
Contact: Contact OregonLive.com or The Oregonian
Website: Southern Oregon medical marijuana farm raided by federal drug agents | OregonLive.com
About 9:30 a.m. today, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided The High Hopes Farm, Bowman's medical marijuana operation outside Jacksonville. The government brought earth-moving equipment to remove Bowman's crop.
Bowman, a longtime fixture in southern Oregon's medical marijuana community, faces the prospect of federal drug charges. He isn't expected to be taken into police custody today, sources said.
Last spring, Bowman allowed The Oregonian to spend time on his farm and answered wide-ranging questions about his operation. He said at the time that his candor was a high-stakes gamble that could draw law enforcement's attention.
Authorities this morning raided seven grow sites associated with Bowman's Jackson County marijuana operation. Bowman told The Oregonian last spring he would grow 400 this year, each producing an estimated 3 pounds of marijuana.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Portland declined to comment on the raids, saying only that federal drug agents executed search warrants as part of an ongoing investigation.
An analysis of Oregon Medical Marijuana Program data by The Oregonian found Bowman was on track to produce pot for more medical marijuana patients than any other grower in Oregon.
Agents shut down Bowman's operation as southern Oregon's marijuana harvest season approaches.
Lori Duckworth, a medical marijuana activist who lives in Josephine County and works at a medical marijuana resource center in Medford, said she was en route to Bowman's operation to protest the federal government's action.
"I am not on my way here to support James Bowman or High Hopes Farm," she said. "I am here to protest if they seize any of the patients' medicine."
"These patients are now losing their medicine."
Duckworth said she was not surprised by the crackdown on High Hopes.
"He was so large and so frank and so open about his operation that at some point he would be a target," she said.
Martin Hensley, a medical marijuana patient of Bowman's who lives in Portland, was stunned.
"Are you serious," said Hensley. "Lord, have mercy. I can't believe it. What am I going to do?"
Hensley said he planned to get more marijuana from Bowman in November.
"It leaves me empty-handed," he said.
News Hawk- TruthSeekr420 420 MAGAZINE
Source: oregonlive.com
Author: Noelle Crombie
Contact: Contact OregonLive.com or The Oregonian
Website: Southern Oregon medical marijuana farm raided by federal drug agents | OregonLive.com
