Feds Allege Medical Marijuana Law Used As Ruse, 37 Indicted In West Michigan Operation

[bobandtorey]

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Thirty-seven people have been indicted as part of an alleged multi-county marijuana grow operation.

The government says the defendants used the state’s medical marijuana law as a cover for the alleged operation.

In October, 27 people were arrested as part of the alleged grow operation, but the government dropped charges to continue the investigation that now has resulted in charges against 10 additional suspects.

More than 160 police officers – from Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Grand Traverse and Oceana counties – were involved in the investigation.

Police said Shawn Taylor led the grow and distribution operation – called Medical Marijuana Team, or MMT - using Michigan’s medical marijuana law as a cover. Taylor allegedly planned to harvest $3 million of marijuana.

He and his wife, Molly, had a store, In Do Grow, in Muskegon, with equipment for indoor hydroponic growing and other supplies to grow marijuana, police said in court records.

Those indicted included husbands and wives and a father and son.

“The conspirators were not attempting to alleviate the suffering of ‘patients’ assigned to them; rather, they were attempting to profit from the sale of the marijuana they produced,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Courtade wrote in a 44-page indictment unsealed on Wednesday, April 16.

He said that members of MMT took pride in the high-grade marijuana they produced and sold for $180 to $220 an ounce. Many wore clothing with a distinctive logo featuring marijuana leaves, he said.

“MMT members provided direct sales of marijuana to customers and actively recruited people to become ‘patients’ and to name MMT members as ‘caregivers’ so that the MMT could grow more marijuana. MMT members sold marijuana to other distributors as well as social users in amounts ranging from ounces and partial ounces to tens of pounds,” Courtade wrote.

He said participants visited “a select number of ‘marijuana doctors’” who often certified a claimed and often bogus medical need without physical examination or an existing physician-patient relationship.”

He said MMT held “clinics” at hotels where people could become patients, then named MMT members as caregivers.

The government said it identified 22 grow operations in cities including Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Norton Shores, Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Wyoming. Authorities have filed papers to have the properties forfeited

Edited April 17, 2014 by mibrains

[solabeirtan]

Ouches! .... darn stars in my eyes .... Lucy in the Skies and all that ...  

[bobandtorey]

Agreed

Not good for the Thirty-seven people 

[pic book]

this is another black mark for us.

[trichcycler]

exponentially a large number  of patients are going without their needed meds because of these constabularies and their silly folly.

[bobandtorey]

I can see how you feel but i'am not sure if we can blame every cannabis raid as a blade mark don't get me wrong the Leo side will blame all cannabis users as they alway do

[bobandtorey]

exponentially a large number  of patients are going without their needed meds because of these constabularies and their silly folly.

Thank you

 

true but that would have happen if the patients ran out of money also

Edited April 17, 2014 by bobandtorey

[trichcycler]

They may soon be out of money too, as many of them were also caregivers to other patients, with an uninterrupted supply line thanks to the genius of the originator. Without his diligence most of these people could maybe still be wondering how to tell a boy from a girl plant, disappointing patient after  patient while trying to figure how to grow properly. Instead he made sure every patient had some of the highest quality medicinal marijuana available. None were forced to be certified, or become patients, and even caregivers and growers for more patients. The guy sold them the right equipment for the task, and supervised its progression. He was probably a hero to many who learned from him, while they were able to supplement their utility bills, help others, and set good examples in the community.

 

that's one way to look at it

[motorcitymeds]

180-220 IS NOT HIGH GRADE....SORRY THAT SOUNDS LIKE COMMERCIAL HYDRO.  Organic MEDS which is what sick people should be ingesting fetch much more.  Because lets be real i cannot pull down the same as a HYDRo guy because SOIL simple does not yield the same unless I do double the VEGG time and Double the container size.  Yes Organic growing can yield but it is not as profitable as a good HYDRO operation because of the time it takes to get it done in soil.

 

So I am sure these guys were using PETRO based CHEMICAL HYDRO for sure.   No Organic CG's that I know of that procure real high grade part with their meds for 180 an oz.  Even my patient with AIDS pays 215 and that is way less than my normal rate because that patient cannot work obviously because he has to stay stress free just to stay alive.  If I could get a lbs from a single HYDRO plant then yes I could break off zips for 180-220.  But I will bet my house and car and left nut that this kind of growing was pure poop.

 

But it sure is DUMB fuxs like this who make a name for themselves called "MMT" and try to grow on a mass scale that make it look bad for regular CG's growing good ORGANIC meds.

 

 

Why you would even want to have several "teams" on board is beyond me.  The more people you tell about your grow and brag about your profits and such the greater your odds are of getting robbed .... ..let alone popped by a NARC goon Squad.

 

 

MMT....WTF....that is just freakin stupid.....wow...SMH.  Why would they just not keep it in the family and stay low key.  I cannot even fathom how big your grow and how many houses it would require to crop 3 milly worth of weed.  I am sure it was nothing more that HIGH GRADE REGGIES<<<<< LOL.

Edited April 17, 2014 by motorcitymeds

[AmishRnot4ganja]

Kind of like Amway only instead of soap they peddled cannabis. This business model works well for Amway.

[t-pain]

i'm willing to bet that all 27 (or 37, it says 10 more people) were not involved in this aside from being a cg or patient to one of the core group.

 

but they'll be charged in order to get them to talk on the others.

maybe it will work, maybe it wont. but you arent going to see 37 convictions.

[trichcycler]

I grow top grade organic medicinal marijuana and my patients donate 175-225 depending on quality, every month like clockwork. At 300 dollars per ounce I would see them, but not as often. Dollars per ounce is not my focus, but dollars per month may be. I operate a garden share, and we all split the fruits for the same monthly donation. Know though, that when a patient skips a month, they are generally replaced.

I know a high grade grower who sells to his patients for 150, and peddles the rest @ 400 to the local "club"

 

though vegging does take a bit longer for me, flowering is spot on with exactly the finish times the breeders suggest, every time. My yields are identically pleasing, and the meds are better for me than my hydro meds I used to grow.

Edited April 17, 2014 by grassmatch

[bobandtorey]

Thanks grassmatch 

 

I'am sure your Cannabis is top notch and it always makes my month water just reading about the Cannabis you grow

 

As far as the 37 people it's easy to get   a one million dollars crop i knew someone that did it 5 times a year 

[MiMedical]

Anyone know where the "44" page indictment can be located? or who the other ten were?

[trichcycler]

thank you bob!

I'm not tootin my own horn, but the point is that the cost of the product cannot be used as a gage of its quality. This was a downline in action, counting on sales to each of its members. The costs are not designed to milk each player, but instead allow each to be further inspired to participate, widen, and increase heir own downline. Pyramid science is old, successful, and well published. The cost of the product hardly matters as much as the volume. The "users" at the bottom are the "payers"

 

 

Thanks grassmatch 

 

I'am sure your Cannabis is top notch and it always makes my month water just reading about the Cannabis you grow

 

As far as the 37 people it's easy to get   a one million dollars crop i knew someone that did it 5 times a year 

[trichcycler]

or anything more of the case?

Anyone know where the "44" page indictment can be located? or who the other ten were?

[GregS]

This will be fun to watch. Too bad for the defendant's, but I wonder how they will defend themselves.

[jointedone]

Hey grass,quit tootin yer own horn................  it just sounded so funny to me..........................

[MiMedical]

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2014/04/michigans_medical_marijuana_la_2.html

[motorcitymeds]

I grow top grade organic medicinal marijuana and my patients donate 175-225 depending on quality, every month like clockwork. At 300 dollars per ounce I would see them, but not as often. Dollars per ounce is not my focus, but dollars per month may be. I operate a garden share, and we all split the fruits for the same monthly donation. Know though, that when a patient skips a month, they are generally replaced.

I know a high grade grower who sells to his patients for 150, and peddles the rest @ 400 to the local "club"

 

though vegging does take a bit longer for me, flowering is spot on with exactly the finish times the breeders suggest, every time. My yields are identically pleasing, and the meds are better for me than my hydro meds I used to grow.

If your growing product similair to the pics I have posted of my meds in the gallery and your getting 175-225 and seeing them say every week ..hate to tell it to ya bud but your people are re-selling and that my friend is not what I am into.  If your procuring HIGH GRADE ORGANICS they should not need an oz a week..lets be real i cannot smoke an oz a week on my own a week even if I was smoking with 2 or 3 other people. 

 

so your telling me that you sell for 175-225 a month and are full time and this is paying your Electric bill, supplies, insurance, mortgage, car, car insurance,food, gas .and all your other bills..?

 

Come on man be real those numbers do not pan out.  So then your independantly wealthy and you do it all to break even..?

 

I call things for what they are.  I grew for my first time when I was 19 in college that was over 20 yrs ago...and I have yet to find a grower legal or illegal who does this for pure charity.  THe risks are way to great just do do it to break even.

 

 

There is nothing wrong with being renumerated for all your hard work and labor.  And if it was so simple and everyone could command 300 a zip wouldn't everyone and their momma be doing it..?  Well everyone is trying to do it but there is only a few sitting atop the APEX.  And those with the genetics and proven quality control measures always get to dollar and do not need to do it for FREE.

Edited April 17, 2014 by motorcitymeds

[+Malamute]

????

 

I easily use an ounce a week.

 

....and don't even try to question my quality.

[bobandtorey]

I roll Big Joints also

[trichcycler]

If your growing product similair to the pics I have posted of my meds in the gallery and your getting 175-225 and seeing them say every week ..hate to tell it to ya bud but your people are re-selling and that my friend is not what I am into.  If your procuring HIGH GRADE ORGANICS they should not need an oz a week..lets be real i cannot smoke an oz a week on my own a week even if I was smoking with 2 or 3 other people. 

I use over one ounce of the best medical cannabis I've ever used ,every week. maybe you're a light weight youngin or sumpin ?

so your telling me that you sell for 175-225 a month and are full time and this is paying your Electric bill, supplies, insurance, mortgage, car, car insurance,food, gas .and all your other bills..?  I am telling you some of that is true. I don't count on this as income to pay for my food, gas, insurance mortgage and other bills, only the garden bills, and my costs. One patient pays me $150 per ounce, but he needs about 2 per week, so I afford him a discount, seeing I know his income, because he showed me. i'm no philanthropist now, so don't misunderstand. I don't have a circle of buddies willing to score a zip every once in awhile. I don't have or know anybody that ever comes to my house and uses besides me. I'm the only one with favors when I visit, and nobody I know is a regular user, except for my carefully matched patients.

 

Come on man be real those numbers do not pan out.  So then your independantly wealthy and you do it all to break even..? They pan out exactly the way I planned them out actually. And yes, I am independently wealthy, but know that I did not get that way working for free either. I worked twice as hard as anyone I know, and retired in half the time as one of them that may if they survive

 

I call things for what they are.  I grew for my first time when I was 19 in college that was over 20 yrs ago...and I have yet to find a grower legal or illegal who does this for pure charity.  THe risks are way to great just do do it to break even. I do not break even, I work hard and am compensated well, in a timely manner, from five really cool people all year. I cycle those patients in and out of my registry so they all can be supplied with their needs. They all have reported that paying 300 an ounce for the quality they need is impossible for them, and that's the exact kind of people that contact me. Heavy needs, timely deliveries, respectful, hippie types, older/mature, fixed income, the normal ones. not one of them has a flame tat on their neck even. Perhaps you're working too hard? I know someone here who does it for less than me, and is able to grow it for less than me too. we all may have a lot to learn.

 

 

There is nothing wrong with being renumerated for all your hard work and labor.  And if it was so simple and everyone could command 300 a zip wouldn't everyone and their momma be doing it..?  Well everyone is trying to do it but there is only a few sitting atop the APEX.  And those with the genetics and proven quality control measures always get to dollar and do not need to do it for FREE.

I wish I could fetch more money now, but for real, when I first began this trek, I did, much more, but the work and risk of exposure to the types paying that price was not worth it to me, and I nearly stopped cg'ing for others because of it. I reinvented my plan, and have soared with these few tweaks. Dispensaries get 20 bucks a gram because they sell grams at a time. I gift quarter ounces with each paid for ounce. I'll see you at the top for sure, and hopefully you can introduce me to some really cool patients who gladly pay 275/ounce for one per week, I'll be there man. What kind of fool has a thousand dollars a month for their smoke anyways?  I didn't, and the ones I met that did, were the types I wish I never met to be honest

. Maybe you know those types, and they are fine to work with ?

 

peace out, enjoy the cash. I believed my product was worth every bit of 300 dollars per ounce. I don't want "word" to get out, and I don't ever register patients that know each other. I don't hand out samples, so nobody knows me, cept you now....namaste

[motorcitymeds]

Grassmatch,

 

WOW...you took quite some time to take annotations a sub-phrase, even re-quote.  !!!  Kudos to you.

 

Glad your independantly wealthy.  If your so well off why do you know people who only warrant your medicine at 175 a zip.? You might be hanging with the wrong crowd.  I don't know though as I am not in your Circle of trust.

 

These conversation get so so old on this site.  Everyone trying to prove to the world they are right.  You do what you do man.  ...and that is fine.  I commend you if what you say is not a line of BS.  which it seems like you seem to be passionate about doing it for next to nothing.

 

 

Just ask yourself this question....what would your people do without you...and would they really get Triple AAA for 175 a zip...????  Not in my world EVER.  The risk of prosectution is far to high.  being a CareGiver is far too much work to not be equally renumerated.  I think if you were raided improperly by some rogue MJ narc squad you might be singing a diff tune.  And maybe you might wonder if being compensated for all your hard labor, and supplies was worth ohh maybe 300 a oz  . . . . ?  So I hope you continue to do your thing for another 25 yrs.  If your sincere again kudos to you.  But I do not believe what most say in llife anymore..sad as that is.  You may be one the genuine ones though.  But would your patients do for you what you do for them..??  I can tell you only 1 maybe 2 of mine would because most are selfish and do not care.  One of my patients last night even said to me as we were talking about busts n what not that if I ever went down that he would be up shiiyats creek because he knows he cannot replace me.  trust me he has tried....lol..but every time he goes abroad he comes right back.  If your sick do you wan to go to a rookie doctor just out of school.  Or do you want to go to a seasoned vet?  The seasoned VET surelyhas much higher bills but will more than likely be on top of his game.  Same in every industry.  Those that do good work will always get paid.  Dupping people over will get you no place.  Or being one of those used car salesmen all hype types.  What will get you paid is good honest work and excellent product.

 

 

To each his own.  That is all I have to add.  Feel Free to re-quote and sub-phrase and write a english paper.  i give you my permission. lol

 

 

1 thing I will add is that in certain scenerios people often play off the poor me and sick me mantra to get people to do things for them.  Some will buy into that, and some won't. Some like me will compromise if the scenario is warranted and legit. Like I  said I give my HIV/AIDS patient a oz for 215.  And I think that is fair considering I help him out immensly with his pain and spirit.  But if people can work yet still have chronic pains from whatever their illness is then they should pay.  How many people go to Pfizer and say I cannot pay for your Oxycontin because I am to doped out..? lol...that was me being sarcastic..btw...I do not even know if Pfizer makes oxycontin..lol

Edited April 17, 2014 by motorcitymeds

[outsideinthecold]

Just curious but what about production costs for high-end, organic mmj?

 

Exclude any fixed costs-lights, timers, buckets, etc. and simply calculate the variable costs-dirt, electricity, nutrients required after the initial start-up investment.

 

Twenty-five bucks an ounce? Fifty?

 

The only caregivers I know are providing meds for $80-160/ounce.