9 news sucks again - Criminals to be weeded out of medical marijuana centers

9NEWS.com | Denver | Colorado's Online News Leader | Criminals to be weeded out of medical marijuana centers

DENVER - More than half of the medical marijuana center owners in Colorado have criminal arrest or conviction records for crimes like dealing drugs, sexual assaults, burglaries and weapons, according to statistics by the Drug Enforcement Agency obtained by 9Wants to Know, but that will all change on Sunday.


The DEA says 18 percent of medical marijuana center owners have been convicted of felonies.

"This business seems to have an inappropriate number of people with criminal backgrounds involved as business owners," Kevin Merrill, assistant special agent in charge for the Denver field division of the DEA, said. "I would be hard-pressed to find any other business group where their members have so many criminal violations, arrests and convictions."

DEA statistics show while 8 percent of Colorado's adult population has been arrested for drug crimes, 28 percent of the medical marijuana center owners have drug histories.

The charges include 77 cases of assault, 22 burglaries, 34 cases of domestic violence, 11 rapes, 29 weapons charges and four arrests for murder, attempted murder and/or involvement in a homicide.

Those felons will be weeded out of the medical marijuana business this weekend when new rules take effect Sunday that prohibit anyone with a drug felony conviction or anyone with a felony sentence within the last five years from obtaining a medical marijuana center license in Colorado.

Businesses that sell medical marijuana have been commonly referred to as dispensaries, but the state now official calls them centers.

Matt Obrochta, owner of Burnzwell Medical Marijuana Center on Broadway in Denver, is now scrambling to figure out what to do since he received a five-year suspended sentence for possessing pot, a felony, in 1998.

Obrochta did not want to comment on his old conviction, but a representative of the medical marijuana industry agreed to speak on behalf of owners with criminal histories.

"They don't think it's fair," Sensible Colorado Executive Director Brian Vicente said. "A lot of people have been convicted of felonies or any crime and they have done their time, they've paid their debt to society and now want to move on and work in this field and aren't able to do so."

Vicente believes someone with a criminal record for marijuana may be best suited to work in the industry because it shows they have experience working with the drug.

"Many of those people the DEA arrested themselves for growing marijuana legally under Colorado law, so I don't think they're a credible source for providing information about folks who are following state law," Vicente said.

The DEA used public records, advertisements and property records to collect the names of the owners of medical marijuana centers. Then agents ran criminal background checks to gather the data.

"The DEA investigates all drug crimes and marijuana is still a schedule one and our job is to know who we are dealing with because we may come into contact with them at some time," Merrill said.

The state expects the new rules about felons along with high licensing fees and in-state residency requirements will reduce the number of medical marijuana centers in the state by about 50 percent.

There are currently 1,100 medical marijuana centers operating in Colorado, according to the Department of Revenue.

DOR Senior Director Matt Cook is leading a team of investigators for the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division that will be conducting an "exhaustive" check of arrest records, business associations and tax returns for anyone who applies for a medical marijuana license.

"Anybody who has a prohibited conviction will not be eligible to hold a license," Cook said. "They want to make sure that the public has confidence in the people that they're doing business with and that it's not a drug cartel selling tainted medicine to them they could harm them when they ingest it."

One of Cook's biggest concerns with the new requirements is that some owners with criminal backgrounds or drug cartels may try to hide their ownership in a medical marijuana center.

"Those persons typically that would not qualify to hold a license often times try and find somebody else to front the business for them. They will fund them through very elaborate lending schemes and reap the benefits of the business," Cook said.

"It potentially may just push the true owners under the carpet behind the closed door and make it even more difficult for investigators to determine who truly owns this," Merrill said.

The most abundant supply of marijuana is Mexican-grown and is brought into and through Colorado by poly-drug trafficking organizations, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy data in June 2008.

In March, Erie Police arrested two suspected drug runners on charges that they moved 64 pounds of marijuana between Colorado and California involving dispensaries. One suspect, Max Hernandez, owned the Denver dispensary 'Colorado Compassionate Caregivers', according to Colorado Secretary of State Records.

Hernandez and Bryan Mark Manard have been charged in Weld County with possession of marijuana and intent to distribute, both felonies.

Anyone who lies on their Colorado medical marijuana center application will be arrested and charged for filing a false instrument, Cook said.

The state application is 22 pages long and asks for bank account numbers, education and marital information.

"I don't even know what my high school diploma has to do with providing medicine to patients, but apparently it's one of the requirements," Carl Wemhoff, president of Herbal Remedies Inc. in Westminster, said.

Wemhoff says the application is so long and complicated he has taken some of his employees off of other projects to get it done.

"We've got a four-man team working day and night for three weeks to get this done. It's that involved," Wemhoff said.

Wemhoff, who does not have a criminal history, hopes to benefit from the new regulations by buying up a couple of medical marijuana centers that will be forced to shut down.

In addition to no prior felony drug convictions, there are several other automatic disqualifiers for holding a license: if you haven't paid student loans or are in arrears for your taxes or child support.

The state says any dispensary caught operating without having applied for a state license as of Aug. 1 will be prevented from ever holding a Colorado license.

Even though the change is coming over a weekend, the Department of Revenue will be open on Saturday and Sunday to accept and start processing business applications.

The first license will be issued on July 1, 2011. Until then, medical marijuana centers are allowed to operate with their application paperwork.

(comments disabled at 9news because they suck and can't stand criticism)

State for Congress:

Taken from http://www.capitolhillblue.com/Aug19...ss1-081699.htm

Numbers from 1999:

* 29 members of Congress have been accused of spousal abuse.
* 7 have been arrested for fraud.
* 19 have been accused of writing bad checks.
* 117 have bankrupted at least two businesses.
* 3 have been arrested for assault.
* 71 have credit reports so bad they can't qualify for a
credit card.
* 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges.
* 8 have been arrested for shoplifting.
* 21 are current defendants in lawsuits.
* And in 1998 alone, 84 were stopped for drunk driving, but released after they claimed Congressional immunity.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by copobo

State for Congress:

Taken from http://www.capitolhillblue.com/Aug19...ss1-081699.htm

Numbers from 1999:

* 29 members of Congress have been accused of spousal abuse.
* 7 have been arrested for fraud.
* 19 have been accused of writing bad checks.
* 117 have bankrupted at least two businesses.
* 3 have been arrested for assault.
* 71 have credit reports so bad they can't qualify for a
credit card.
* 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges.
* 8 have been arrested for shoplifting.
* 21 are current defendants in lawsuits.
* And in 1998 alone, 84 were stopped for drunk driving, but released after they claimed Congressional immunity.

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I knew there was a reason we got along..K+

This type of info needs to be made up front to the public. I would love to go on a mud slinging campaign of all these hypocritical crooks.

howabout we require the same info from our state reps as we require for MMC operators?

it would serve the public interest more to be sure our legislators are on the up-and-up than our pot growers and sellers.

I'd like to see Romer & Massey fill one of those forms out.

Whats huge here is the fact that the DEA is monitoring dispensary owners and keeping stats on them. More reason to not submit or have your name on anything with the DOR.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zedleppelin

Whats huge here is the fact that the DEA is monitoring dispensary owners and keeping stats on them. More reason to not submit or have your name on anything with the DOR.

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Alright.. I'll bite your bait. What stats are the DEA tracking, how are they doing so, and what is your evidence in support of this claim?

To think that the DEA isn't tracking data regarding retail pot sales is like thinking NOAA quit watching the atmosphere.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by copobo

The DEA says 18 percent of medical marijuana center owners have been convicted of felonies.

"This business seems to have an inappropriate number of people with criminal backgrounds involved as business owners," Kevin Merrill, assistant special agent in charge for the Denver field division of the DEA, said. "I would be hard-pressed to find any other business group where their members have so many criminal violations, arrests and convictions."

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BS! Construction. It's probably close to 50% if people are being honest.

Good post. :thumbsup:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HighPopalorum

Alright.. I'll bite your bait. What stats are the DEA tracking, how are they doing so, and what is your evidence in support of this claim?

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it's in the article at the top, and I don't find this surprising. I'm sure the DEA has the best MMC / grow directory out there. NOW, what they do with that info is what we are interested in.

Quote:

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The DEA used public records, advertisements and property records to collect the names of the owners of medical marijuana centers. Then agents ran criminal background checks to gather the data.

"The DEA investigates all drug crimes and marijuana is still a schedule one and our job is to know who we are dealing with because we may come into contact with them at some time," Merrill said.

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Saying "what they do with that info is what we are interested in" just brings sensationalism into this. I know we all have issues with the DEA, but their actions regarding this industry, taken at face, haven't been anything out of line with federal guidance. Or is there a case I'm forgetting?

I am saying it's not surprising at all that they have gathered this info. that's what the government does.

Remember the raid on Full Spectrum Labs?

it has been fairly chill as of late.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by copobo

I am saying it's not surprising at all that they have gathered this info. that's what the government does.

Remember the raid on Full Spectrum Labs?

it has been fairly chill as of late.

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I thought that was resolved as business as usual? My understanding was that when FSL applied for whatever license they applied for, the DEA comes to inspect the facility.

I believe the dea just raided a collective in mendo..

Point being this info mining is bullshit, I don't know about you but stuff like this seems on the verge of Orwellian society. If the Dea used as much funding to eradicate other drugs as they do cannabis, I don't think many would have a problem with what they do, but there is most certainly a man behind the curtain as far as marijuana prohibition is concerned.

Anyone want to play a game of monopoly???:thumbsup:

In many ways, don't we already live in an "Orwellian society"? I don't see how that's uniquely germane to the DEA.

Medical Marijuana,US Government holds key patents for Marijuana as drug treatment,US Patent 6630507

Medical Marijuana,US Government holds key patents for Marijuana as drug treatment,US Patent 6630507

Medical Marijuana,US Government Patent 6630507
On the eve of voting for the passage of medical marijuana and decriminalization of marijuana in several states including California this year.It seems our good US of A Government has been preparing since 2003 to cash in if marijuana is ever legalized as a drug treatment.The USA Department of Health and Human Servicesholds the rights to US Patent 6630507 - Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants

The patent claims that "Cannabinoids have been found to have antioxidant properties, unrelated to NMDA receptor antagonism. This new found property makes cannabinoids useful in the treatment and prophylaxis of wide variety of oxidation associated diseases, such as ischemic, age-related, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The cannabinoids are found to have particular application as neuroprotectants, for example in limiting neurological damage following ischemic insults, such as stroke and trauma, or in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and HIV dementia."

The patent was obtained in October of 2003.
Cannabinoids, for those who were wondering, are a group of chemical compounds found in marijuana that are also referred to as terpenophenolic compounds. One specific cannabinoid compound found in cannabis is tetrahydrocannabinol, more commonly known as THC. This substance gives marijuana its psychoactive effects.The US government may hold this patent, but that will not stop their officials from consistently denying the benefits of medical marijuana. An FDA spokesperson, for instance, has claimed that "smoked marijuana has no currently accepted or proven medical use in the United States and is not an approved medical treatment." It makes you wonder why the U.S. government is so unwilling to admit that marijuana has some valid medical properties. It seems unlikely that there is a popularity issue, especially when 65% of Americans believe that doctors should be allowed to prescribe marijuana .
Since one part of the government applied for the patent of medical marijuana, and another part of the government approved that patent, it seems logical to conclude that the federal government knows that marijuana has some valid medical drug treatment properties.

Just wondering if this makes any difference ?


Q: If my record is expunged, do I ever have to admit that I have a criminal record?

A: In most states, and with some limited exceptions, after your records are sealed or expunged, you may truthfully say that you were never arrested, charged, or accused of a crime. In the eyes of the law, the entire incident never happened. In most respects, a sealing or expungement restores you to the status you occupied before being arrested or charged.
You should be aware that the federal government doesn't have to honor the expungement, nor does an expungement of a conviction necessarily relieve a person from having to disclose it in an application for public office or on some professional license applications.

Their big thing is "If you lie, we will deny." Even if it isn't technically lying, they want to know EVERYTHING and telling them more shows you have nothing to hide.

Matt Cook's favorite email right now is: Disclose, disclose, disclose! If they find something, you're sol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by copobo

State for Congress:

Taken from http://www.capitolhillblue.com/Aug19...ss1-081699.htm

Numbers from 1999:

* 29 members of Congress have been accused of spousal abuse.
* 7 have been arrested for fraud.
* 19 have been accused of writing bad checks.
* 117 have bankrupted at least two businesses.
* 3 have been arrested for assault.
* 71 have credit reports so bad they can't qualify for a
credit card.
* 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges.
* 8 have been arrested for shoplifting.
* 21 are current defendants in lawsuits.
* And in 1998 alone, 84 were stopped for drunk driving, but released after they claimed Congressional immunity.

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Now--now--you know the laws only apply to the citizens and not the politicians--LOL.

But--realistically--previous-hard-drug offenders/rapist/burgarlar's/assaulter's etc. really should not be owners nor employees of medical marijuana centers.

If we want this to work in Colorado-criminal-records for dispensory owners and their employees have to be clean as a whistle--just like in other industry where money (like casino's) is involved.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by PolishPotFarmer

Just wondering if this makes any difference ?


Q: If my record is expunged, do I ever have to admit that I have a criminal record?

A: In most states, and with some limited exceptions, after your records are sealed or expunged, you may truthfully say that you were never arrested, charged, or accused of a crime. In the eyes of the law, the entire incident never happened. In most respects, a sealing or expungement restores you to the status you occupied before being arrested or charged.
You should be aware that the federal government doesn't have to honor the expungement, nor does an expungement of a conviction necessarily relieve a person from having to disclose it in an application for public office or on some professional license applications.

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Yes--because for certain they will find it. So disclose it--and tell them it was exponged. Not telling them will raise a lot of eyebrows and they may deny your application because of it.

Here's a for instance. Casino's on all employees have to have a criminal background check. My husband is 60+ in years. He was working on a casino in secure areas so they asked that he get a license to work in those secure areas. He went into apply thinking nothing of it. And the lady behind the desk said--"sir" I am certain you probably don't remember this but you were arrested when you were 17 years old over a minor offense. No charges were brought--nor did he even have to go to court over it.--LOL. He admitted he remembered it when she mentioned it too him--but was shocked that they can go back that far with a push of a button. They went ahead and issued him a license.

"Smoking marijuana in a society which has declared marijuana illegal makes you a criminal, subject in many states and also federally to imprisonment as a felon, and everyone who smokes marijuana under the present system is (or quickly becomes) aware of the dire consequences of this innocent act. Even if you arenâ??t ever arrested, jailed, tried or imprisoned, you still live under constant fear of being busted by the ubiquitous narcotics police, you are subject to having your phone tapped, your person and possessions (starting with your home) pawed over and ripped apart by these goons and their uniformed accomplices, your privacy subject to violation by the police at any moment of the night or day. And if you do fall into the clutches of the police and their associates in the prosecutorâ??s office and judicial chambers and jails and penitentiaries, you are thrown into a world you would never have thought could exist in the kind of country youâ??d always thought America was. For the courts and the jails are the carefully-disguised cesspools of American society â?? only those who are branded as criminals ever find out how hopelessly vile and perverted these institutions are. And in the past few years thousands and thousands of young people who would otherwise have gone through their lives as my parents did, believing in the garbage and lies dished out by the â??legalâ?� authorities about their wonderful justice and their noble penal institutions (they call them â??correctional facilitiesâ?�), are being exposed to the grim realities of American life by virtue of their use of the killer weed marijuana."
(John Sinclair 1971)

"Careful what you carry- 'cause the Man is wise- you are still an outlaw in their eyes" -Steely Dan