cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Grower Could Face Life in Prison





Marijuana Grower Could Face Life in Prison
Posted by CN Staff on August 20, 2004 at 09:02:16 PT
By Glenda Anderson, The Press Democrat
Source: Press Democrat
A Lake County man accused of growing more than 32,500 pot plants in plain view of Highway 20 travelers could face life in prison if convicted of federal charges filed against him Thursday.Charles "Eddy" Lepp, 52, was arraigned Thursday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco on charges of marijuana cultivation, conspiracy to cultivate marijuana and maintaining drug-involved premises, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Hall.
The plants, purportedly intended for medical use, were confiscated and destroyed Wednesday during a federal raid on the garden, about a mile east of Upper Lake. State and local law enforcement assisted with the raid.The charges against Lepp carry a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life, said U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Richard Meyer.Lepp was unavailable for comment Thursday, but his wife speculated that her husband would not be intimidated by the threat of a stiff prison sentence."I know he's not going to quit fighting, because we're not hurting people, we're helping people," said Linda Senti.Lepp was released after posting a bond for his $200,000 bail, Meyer said.Senti said it's true Lepp was cultivating marijuana and intended to distribute it, but she argued that the activities were legal under California's voter-approved Proposition 215, which made medical marijuana legal."I think it's a state's rights issue," she said.Senti also contended that the marijuana didn't really belong to Lepp, but to the patients who are members of his cooperative garden. The plants are grown to order, she said.Meyer said whether that distinction is important will have to be decided in court."People can be very creative," he said. "They'll have a chance to explain their scheme to a jury."He estimated the street value of the marijuana at more than $80 million. He made no distinction between the value of the pot as a street drug and its value for medicinal use.Justin Watt, who identified himself as a volunteer worker on the 20-acre marijuana farm, said patients typically make a donation of $2,500 to Lepp's nonprofit "ministry," Eddy's Medicinal Gardens. But they don't have to, Watt said."If they don't want to donate, that's their business. A lot of patients get it for free," he said.Watt was arrested and released on state felony cultivation charges during Wednesday's raid, as were 11 others at the farm.Lepp's case underscores the ongoing conflict between state and federal drug laws.While Proposition 215 legalized the use of medical marijuana in the state, growing pot continues to be illegal under federal law.Despite some recent federal court cases that appeared to yield to medical marijuana advocates, growing marijuana anywhere in the country is still illegal, Meyer said.Even in California, the issue is not clear.While state law allows for a person to grow up to 12 immature plants for personal use with a medical prescription, it permits counties to allow higher amounts.Lake County simply goes by the state standard. But Mendocino County allows up to 25 plants, and Sonoma County allows up to 99 plants a year.In addition, while Proposition 215 refers to "caretakers" for medical marijuana patients, it's unclear who a caretaker is and what one can do.Lake County Sheriff Rod Mitchell doesn't think a caretaker can simply be someone who grows pot for another. But other counties accept that interpretation of the law."It's a poorly written law," Mitchell said.Even with the most liberal of interpretations, however, Lepp's garden would have been unlikely to pass muster.To be within the state's or Lake County's legal limits, Lepp would need to have had more than 2,500 patients, said Lake County Chief Deputy Pat McMahon.Although Lepp was arrested in 1997 for just 164 plants and police confiscated his plants two years ago, Senti said she and Lepp believed they would be left alone this year. Lepp was acquitted of the 1997 charges and was never charged in the 2002 case, she noted.The crop wasn't dramatically increased to challenge the law, it was increased with the number of patients, Senti said.Note: Lake County man says farm's 32,500 plants intended for medicinal use and legal under state law.Source: Press Democrat, The (CA)Author: Glenda Anderson, The Press DemocratPublished: Friday, August 20, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Press DemocratContact: letters pressdemo.comWebsite: http://www.pressdemo.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Eddys Medicinal Gardenshttp://www.eddysmedicinalgardens.com/Lepp Arraigned in Federal Courthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19367.shtml$80 Million Pot Farm Busted http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19363.shtmlDEA Raids Lepp's Pot Farmhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19362.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #12 posted by Dankhank on August 21, 2004 at 01:41:46 PT
DEA
I'm convinced that the DEA will fight to the finish by just cutting down as many gardens as they can, gleefully patting themselves on the back for "showing the futility" of resisting them.They will only be stopped by concerted effort of the type seen recently in courts. Go get 'em Angel ... et al.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by John Tyler on August 20, 2004 at 21:29:17 PT
DEA is out of control
The 9th Court of Appeals recently said two women who grew medical cannabis were not violating Federal law because there was no interstate commerce, and hence no violation. If this is the case with Eddie Lepp, which it seems to be, the DEA has overstepped its bounds again from law enforcement to harrassment and terrorism. The courts have to remind them what the law is.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by E_Johnson on August 20, 2004 at 13:44:05 PT
Maybe pot isn't so healing after all
Gee the claim is supposed to be that pot heals trauma, especially combat trauma.But all of the screaming and crying for all eternity about the actions of an ACTRESS make me wonder.This is symbolic, like the screaming and crying over the SYMBOLIC idea "what message does medical marijuana use send to children".Some people consider us all to be committing treason during time of war, because of the symbolic value.If we're all going to be held hostage forever by the hate and anger stirred up by symbolic acts by entertainment personalities, then I am just going to be forced to abandon the idea that pot helps people heal from the wounds of the past.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by siege on August 20, 2004 at 13:04:39 PT
off t D E A 
And sometimes it's just downright sleazy, as appears to be the case with Reginald Cheney, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) Cleveland office since 2001. Cheney has been placed on limited duty since last week because of allegations he took advantage of his position -- not to enrich himself, but to score chicks.Federal authorities told the Plain Dealer Cheney is accused of using a law enforcement database to look up information on women, including license plate numbers. Cheney was put on limited duty after the DEA received a formal complaint from an unidentified woman, the officials said.The law enforcement databases are a treasure trove of information, including driver's license photos, license plate numbers, and other information vital to investigations and surveillance -- or tracking down hot babes DEA dudes spot on the freeway.
http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/350/cleveland.shtml
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by siege on August 20, 2004 at 12:40:36 PT
sorry off topic
A TRAITOR IS ABOUT TO BE HONOREDJane Fonda is being honored as one of the "100 Women of the Century." "While the U. S. Constitution guarantees Americans freedom of speech there is a big difference between stating your opinion and taking action on your opinion. When Jane Fonda voiced her opposition against the War in Vietnam that was her right. However, when she began to aid and abet the Vietnam Army I am of the opinion that she committing treason on America. Many other people have a similar opinion about her.she walked the line, shaking our
 hand's and asking little encouraging
snippets like: "Aren't you sorry you bombed
babies?" and "Are you grateful for the humane
treatment from your benevolent captors?"
Art!!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by Dr Ganj on August 20, 2004 at 10:57:15 PT
Eddy's Medicinal Gardens
Folks, what we have here is a hero. A maverick ready, and willing to battle the enemy to the max. What we need are more pot pugilists like this in our corner. If more people like this stepped forward and grew thousands of marijuana plants as it were Gallo's grapes, we wouldn't have a drug war. What we're seeing is the future, and Eddy is a gusty pioneer doing what he knows is right and good.
In a few years when legal marijuana is rowed up like corn, we'll reflect back on the times when intrepid growers like Perron and Lepp pressed the boundary between federal law, and states' rights, so finally people could grow their own medicine- legally, once and for all. 
For a photo of the awesome garden look at the link below. 
http://www1.pressdemocrat.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040819/NEWS/408190317
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by Druid on August 20, 2004 at 10:25:26 PT
LOL
Okie dokie youre the boss! Keep up the good work!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 20, 2004 at 10:22:07 PT
druid
I don't need to delete it unless you want me to. It means it can be read two times! 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by druid on August 20, 2004 at 10:16:00 PT
doh!
FoM--Please delete comment #3 I didn't see that you had already posted it!sorry :(
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by Druid on August 20, 2004 at 10:13:53 PT
one more article
Former AMMA National Director, Eddy Lepp was arraigned in federal court 
and released OR, meaning no bail. Look for Eddy as a keynote speaker 
at the Seattle Hempfest.Source: Lake County Record-Bee 
http://www.record-bee.com/Stories/0,1413,255~26901~2346995,00.html
Lepp Arraigned in Federal CourtLepp arraigned in federal court
By John Lindblom - Record-Bee Staff Upper Lake -- Released on his own recognizance by federal authorities, 
medical marijuana grower Eddy Lepp returned to a full house and empty 
fields Thursday night.Lepp was in a San Francisco federal court Thursday. He was arraigned on 
charges that are presumed to be possession of marijuana with intent to 
distribute."He has talked to an attorney (believed to be Dennis Robbie of Oakland) 
and they are processing him out of the Federal Court Building in San 
Francisco as we speak," Lepp's wife, Linda, told a Record-Bee reporter 
at the couple's Upper Lake home at about 5 p.m. Thursday."He was released O.R. and we have somebody on the way down to pick him 
up." Linda Lepp had a crowd of people around her in the living room as she 
spoke. Several were among the dozen who were arrested along with Lepp 
early Wednesday by federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) 
officials and Lake County sheriff's deputies who went to the couple's 
hilltop house. Others were patients dependent on the marijuana grown by 
Lepp. Still others were among Lepp's oldest and best friends.More people were on the edge of Highway 20 down the hill from Lepp's 
house, picketing, protesting and shouting good naturedly at motorists. 
The healthy stand of marijuana across the fence from the protesters had 
been reduced to stubble.Yet more people, said Linda Lepp, picketed in the Federal Building in 
San Francisco protesting against the laying to waste of Lepp's crop.Gain Chao, a senior at Upper Lake High School, wondered about actions 
of a day earlier when officers stormed in on the field bordering the 
patch where her family grows the strawberries it sells at its roadside 
stand. Lepp, she said, seemed "really nice" the one time she met him."Just like the horses on the field on the other side, it (marijuana) 
doesn't bother us at all," she said. "But Eddy told me once he had to 
have nine guards every night."Jeff Watt, a volunteer at Lepp's ministry who said he recently came 
down from Oregon, was one of those arrested at Lepp's home Wednesday."I just got out of jail today. Everyone else got out yesterday," he 
said. "They told me I was getting arrested for selling and 
distributing. Then, my release paper said for intoxication only. "No, I had not been drinking," Watt added. "There's no alcohol 
allowed 
on the premises. They can't pin anything on us because we're all 
volunteers. I get room and board. I can't even afford shoes for 
myself."Watt said Lepp was cooperative with the federal officials who came to 
his home, "but they tackled him anyway, pinned his arms behind his back 
and handcuffed him."Linda Lepp said the raid might have been prevented if the couple had 
obtained an injunction against such actions."Personally, I think what prompted this is we didn't have an injunction 
in our paperwork from when they did this in 2002," she said. "We need to finally get to court to have a judge say yes or no 
whether 
they (DEA) have the jurisdiction to do this to medical marijuana in our 
state. We're supposed to be there (in court) Thursday (Aug. 26) and 
they did this to hurt him."Linda barely escaped arrest herself. She was sleeping elsewhere for 
health reasons when her cell phone rang. It was Eddy, calling to tell 
her to stay away from the house. He didn't get the chance to say that. 
But he didn't need to. Linda got the message when she heard one of the 
officers who came into the house barking orders.Lepp's position all along is that the marijuana grown in his fields is 
not his, but that of ill people who need it. "I don't know how many, but I think it's in the thousands of people 
who are not going to have their medication and will end up back on 
alcohol and those (expletive) pills," said Linda. "I'm extremely mad because they're turning our healing fields into 
killing fields."Source: Lake County Record-Bee (CA)
Author: John Lindblom - Record-Bee Staff
Published: Friday, August 20, 2004
Copyright: 2004 Record-Bee
Contact: editorial record-bee.com
Website: http://www.record-bee.com/Related Articles & Web Site: Eddys Medicinal Gardens
http://www.eddysmedicinalgardens.com/$80 Million Pot Farm Busted
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19363.shtmlDEA Raids Lepp's Pot Farm
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19362.shtml
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by Druid on August 20, 2004 at 10:11:28 PT
FoM-According to this information...NO
from: "Steve Kubby"  
Date:	Thu, 19 Aug 2004 18:05:23 -0700EDDY IS OUT ON O.R.THE TEAM OF McPIKE AND ROBERTS WASTES NO TIME GETTING AN ICON OUT OF 
THE SLAMMER      Busted yesterday in a deliberate attempt to intimidate the 
Medical Cannabis Community by the DEA, My friend and fellow skeptic of 
Cannabis Attorneys, Eddy Lepp has just discovered what a good Attorney 
is. Eddy was faced with a $200,000 bail, for which he would have had 
to come up with the entire amount, not 10% like in State cases. McPee 
and Roberts Huddle, and Roberts jams down to the Courthouse and 
explains a few things to the Judge. Eddy is then ordered released on 
his own Recognisance. He is out now, and that is wonderful, and it is 
on account of two of the finest attorneys a client could ever ask for. 
 Not only do they show up, they show up with the goods. Eddy is in 
good hands with these two heroes of the movement. He still needs us to 
represent..dcgreenhouse*************************From:	"Steve Kubby"  
Subject:	AMMA-NEWS: Fwd: Eddy Lepp released on OR!
Date:	Thu, 19 Aug 2004 18:49:47 -0700Begin forwarded message:> From: mcpike psnw.com
> Date: August 19, 2004 6:41:00 PM PDT
> To: Steve Kubby 
> Subject: Re: Eddy Lepp released on OR!
>
>
>
> Steve,
>
> Its true. Eddy's people were calling me yesterday morning right
> after the bust. Then today as nobody heard from Eddy. I was
> in Kern Co Court, so I called the DEA to locate EDDY. Then I
> called Dennis who went & got Eddy out this afternoon. I just
> got off the phone with Eddy & Dennis who were crossing the Bay
> Bridge.
>
> His friends are replanting 10,000 this weekend, while Eddy is at
> the Seatle Hemp Fest.
>
> Eddy doesn't like attys & I can't claim to represent him, unless
> he asks for my help. I can claim to be his friend. As with you,
> I will help him to the end.
>
> Later, Bill
>
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by FoM on August 20, 2004 at 09:08:32 PT
Is This Correct?
Lepp was released after posting a bond for his $200,000 bail, Meyer said.
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment