Multi-Million Dollar Pot Growing Ring Plus Several Dispensaries Raided

[bobandtorey]

 a bust so big in fact – that the marijuana grow could not be immediately be dismantled and “was not seized due to the size and quantity of equipment and UPSET’s inability to transport this equipment without large trucks” – while the alleged ringleader now stands accused of continuing to distribute marijuana while out on bond – The alleged pot boss is a convicted drug trafficker who allegedly openly flaunted state laws that allow marijuana growing operations but only under the strictest regulations and licensing

 

 

 

(Ontonagon County, MI) – A slew of state and federal agents have once again busted a multi-million dollar pot growing ring after raiding dispensaries in Iron River, Marquette and Watersmeet – and the alleged ringleader is a convicted drug trafficker who is accused of restarting his rogue marijuana operation that apparently flaunted state medical marijuana laws.

Among the agencies involved in the bust are the U.S. Bureau for Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Michigan State Police, the Upper Peninsula Substance Enforcement Team, Michigan National Guard aircraft and pilot, and more.

The 12-page felony complaint was filed against Spencer Troy Ward on July 28, 2016 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan Northern Division in Marquette.

Ward was among three people arrested on federal drug charges earlier this year.

 

Charged in the 18-page federal conspiracy indictment are Spencer Troy Ward, 55, of Bruce Crossing; Sharon Marie Peltola, 54, of Bruce Crossing; Robert Harley Stapleton, 43, of Iron River, Craig Robert Asikainen, 36, of Negaunee.

Others named in the probe are Byron Hugh Adams, Peter John Jousma.

Ward was was re-arrested by U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Agent Sarah C. Hill in Paulding, MI.

“I am currently investigating Spencer Troy Ward, Byron Hugh Adams, Peter John Jousma and others for violations of federal laws relating to controlled substances,” Agent Hill revealed in the complaint.

Federal prosecutors say Ward “conspired to manufacture plants and marijuana,” a schedule I controlled substance, in Ontonagon County “while released on bond.”

Between April and July 25, 2016, Ward allegedly “conspired to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute marijuana plants and marijuana” while out on bond on other federal drug charges.

“Grow equipment found at the time of the search warrant at Ward’s residence on Feb. 18, 2016 was not seized due to the size and quantity of equipment and UPSET’s inability to transport this equipment without large trucks,” Agent Hill stated.

 

 

“Ward does not have a caregiver card issued under the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act,” Hill stated.

Ward was free on an unsecured $100,000 bond when he was again arrested.

He was already facing numerous federal felony charges.

When released, Ward signed a bond conditions order that warned him to keep out of trouble.

“The commission of a (felony) federal offense while on pretrial release may result in an additional sentence to a term of imprisonment of not more than ten years,” the complaint states quoting the bond order. “The sentence shall be in addition to any other sentence.”

Ward first appeared before U.S. Magistrate Timothy P. Greeley in Marquette federal court on March 30, 2016 on a criminal complaint and was later named in an indictment – then a superseding indictment with his co-defendants. 

The criminal complaint outlined details about the initial charges in the case.

“In October 2014, UPSET detectives completed two controlled buys of marijuana from the Upper Peninsula Caregivers Association (UPCA) dispensary in Watersmeet, MI,” the complaint states.

 

“Between December 2015 and February 17, 2016, UPSET detectives completed several more controlled buys of marijuana from UPCA dispensaries in Watersmeet, MI; Iron River, MI; and Marquette, MI,” Agent Hill stated.

UPSET detectives and Agent Hill conducted four simultaneous raids executing marijuana related search warrants at Ward’s home plus at other locations on his property described as “outbuildings at 14747 N. Paynesville Road in Bruce Crossing, MI,” the complaint states.

At the same time as that raid, authorities executed searched warrants “at the three UPCA dispensaries that Ward supplied with marijuana,” the complaint states.

Those dispensaries “were located at 4826 First Street in Watersmeet Township, MI; 3954 West Highway U.S. 2 in Iron River Township, MI; and 414 South Front Street in Marquette, MI,” according to the criminal complaint.

A marijuana price list at the Watersmeet dispensary stated “an ounce of marijuana sells for $250” consistent with the dispensaries in Marquette and Iron River, Agent Hill stated, noting “at this price a pound of marijuana would sell for $4,000.”

“Based on this price, the value of the processed marijuana recovered at Ward’s residence on February 18, 2016 was approximately $400,000,” Agent Hill stated in the complaint.

That $400,000 “net loss” is one reason that Ward “has a motive to continue to grow marijuana,” Agent Hill noted. “Ward has made a substantial investment in growing equipment and has no other form of substantial income.”

“Ward receives a small income from social security disability and his union pension,” Hill states. “There is no other form of income that is known to law enforcement investigators.”

A search warrant for Ward’s cell phone – issued on April 15, 2016 by 98thDistrict Court Judge Jane Burgess – was an evidence treasure trove for ATFSpecial Agent Aaron Voogd.

“Some of the images found” on Ward’s cell phone include “marijuana plants, the Watersmeet dispensary and U.S. currency,” Hill stated.

Ward’s cell phone also provided text messages that federal prosecutors are using as additional evidence.

The three co-defendants – Peltola, Stapleton and Asikainen – cooperated with federal prosecutors, the U.S. BIA and Michigan State Police during separate interviews at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Marquette while accompanied by their defense attorneys.

The trio “provided substantial background information on Ward’s marijuana manufacturing activities,” Agent Hill stated. “All three confirmed that Ward was in charge of the growing operations at the four locations raided by police.

“Ward employed up to 20 workers at a time during the harvesting of marijuana, which was grown in a large green warehouse on Ward’s property” with the majority “employed as trimmers,” Hill said the co-defendant interviews revealed.

Trimmers “were dedicated to the removal of leaves and stems from the mature marijuana bud,” Hill explained in the complaint.

The unlicensed convicted drug trafficker – Ward – was running a “hands on” operation complete with “time cards,” the complaint states, while Peltola served as paymaster.

In late 2015 and early 2016, Byron Adams – one of the names on Ward’s cell phone – was placed by the boss “in charge of the marijuana grow operation in Bruce Crossing when Ward was not present.” Ward “did a lot of hands on himself” in growing marijuana but Adam’s was Ward’s “right-hand man” who played a “significant role” in the pot growing ring, Agent Hill quoted co-defendants as stating.

Adams was on the employee time card list and “recorded over 500 hours work” at the Bruce Crossing grow location, Agent Hill noted adding “two Michigan Medical Marijuana Application Forms were found at the UPCA dispensary in Watersmeet listing Adams as the caregiver.”

Ward was “pushing Adams to get the marijuana to the flower stage,” the complaint states based on interviews with the co-defendants.

The “flower stage” in marijuana growth “where the plant comes into maturity and begins to produce its buds (flowering)” and is “the final stage of marijuana production.” Agent Hill stated. During this end stage the “buds are pruned, clipped and dried producing usable marijuana.” 

A cell phone connected to Byron Adams is “tied to Sheri Adams’ social security number” – his wife, Hill stated.

Records confiscated by police revealed that co-defendant Pete Jousma was listed on an employee time card and worked over 400 hours at the marijuana grow, Hill stated. Jousma’s phone number was listed on Ward’s cell phone and “a photocopy of a Michigan Medical Marijuana Card Application form” and a copy of Jousma’s driver’s license were found at the UPCA Watersmeet dispensary, Hill stated. Jousma listed Adams as his caregiver on the marijuana card application form.

On July 13, 2016, Agent Hill obtained Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WE Energies) records for Jousma address at 16927 Larson Road in Bruce Crossing that involved two separate meter readings “that are both servicing Jousma’s property.”

Among other things, the records showed huge spikes in electricity usage for the months of April, May and June 2016 and Hill noted that the large increase in power usage is “consistent with an indoor marijuana grow.”.

“Marijuana plants require five elements to survive: light, heat, water, air, and medium,” Hill stated. “The amount of light and darkness that a marijuana plants receives determines which growth cycle the plant is in” and when pot plants are “growing and maturing, the plant requires approximately 14-18 hours of light and six hours of darkness.”

In the fall, “the sunlight is decreased to equal amount of daylight and darkness,” Hill stated. The change of “light the plant receives causes the plant to begin to flower or bud.”

The buds “contain the most THC and is what is most frequently harvested and sold as marijuana,” Hill stated. An indoor marijuana grow requires “artificial light sources (typically 1,000 watt bulbs) which consume approximately 1 KW per hour to simulate the sun and control the amount of time the lights are on to simulate the different seasons” all resulting in “a high consumption of power.”

Other reasons a marijuana grow sucks lots of energy include “high intensity discharge lights, air conditioners, blowers to ventilate grow rooms, fans and other electrical appliances used to cultivate marijuana indoors.”

On July 13, 2016, Michigan State Police Det. Trooper Jason Sleeter received information from an UPSET confidential informant who claimed Adams bragged about his marijuana grow and claimed “the marijuana grow was legal” and stated “the plants were three weeks away from being harvested.”

On July 7, 2016, Judge Burgess approved a search warrant for a Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) flight by National Guard Pilot CW4 Mark Snauko and U.S. BIA Agent Hill.

FLIR footage from the flight revealed “heat signatures emitting from a structure” on Adam’s Larson Road property in Bruce Crossing plus “a high heat signature emitting from a pole barn/shed on the curtilage of the property” that is “consistent with an indoor marijuana grow,” Hill stated.

On July 26, 2016, UPSET Detectives and Agent Hill “executed a search warrant” at Jousma’s residence seizing “42 marijuana plants, three hyper fans, two water pumps, four ballasts, 10 grow lights varying in size and 11 firearms.”

Adams agreed to make a statement to police that included admitting he worked for Ward making $10 per hour to do “maintenance and trimming plants.” Adams said he agreed to grow marijuana on Jousma’s property using “a tray of sprouted marijuana seeds” left behind during a raid in February.

“UPSET detectives left the tray of seeds during the the search warrant because the sprouted seeds did not have a root structure and would not qualify as marijuana plants” under federal law.

Adams said Ward agreed to provide the equipment, the plants and nutrients and pay the electric bill in exchange for 60 percent of the marijuana – while Adams agreed to “tend the marijuana plants” for the other 40 percent,” the complaint states.

The complaint revealed some of the text messages on Adam’s phone that was dumped (downloaded) by ATF Agent Voogd.

During his interview with detectives, the complaint states, Jousma said “he worked for Ward for a little while doing carpentry and trimming plants.” Jousma said Ward asked him to temporarily grow marijuana on the Larson Road property with Adams as the grower, the complaint states.

Jousma told detectives “Ward told him that if everything was a ‘good go’ that Ward would pay off Jousma’s mortgage’ and cover all electric bills.

While only asking for additional charges against Ward, Agent Hill noted that even some of the cooperating witnesses were part of restarting the marijuana grow operation while free on bond.

“There is probable cause to believe that Ward, Adams, Jousma and others, known and unknown” conspired to grow and distribute marijuana while free on bond.

Over 100 pounds of processed marijuana and 186 marijuana plants were confiscated during the search of Ward’s home, the complaint states.

During the search of Ward’s residence, police discovered “several large-scale grow rooms” with “large lights, watering systems, fans, and ventilation for Ward’s indoor marijuana grow,” the complaint states. 

 

Read more here 

 

https://upbreakingnews.com/tag/marijuana-bust/

The searches of three UPCA dispensaries included “seizure of marijuana, sales records, and employment records from each location.”

“Each UPCA dispensary sold marijuana strains with the same names, used the same forms and listed the same prices,” Agent Hill stated.

“Ward has a 2000 conviction in the state of Missouri for trafficking drugs in the 2nd degree” and was “sentenced to 7 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections.”

Here is the first story we did on this case, followed by a lot of new information:

Four Upper Peninsula residents are charged with conspiring to run a marijuana distribution ring that allegedly dealt hundreds of pounds of pot in four U.P. counties after a federal judge on Tuesday ordered a 10-count indictment unsealed.

Charged in the 18-page federal conspiracy indictment are Spencer Troy Ward, 55, of Bruce Crossing; Sharon Marie Peltola, 54, of Bruce Crossing; Robert Harley Stapleton, 43, of Iron River, Craig Robert Asikainen, 36, of Negaunee.

The indictment seeks forfeiture proceedings against the suspects to force them to turn over all property and proceeds from the alleged marijuana conspiracy. As part of two “forfeiture allegations” the government is seeking a money judgment of at least $448,000 from the defendants that “the United States estimates is gross proceeds from the conspiracy charge.

The forfeiture demand includes three parcels of land Ward owns at 14747 N. Paynesville Road in Bruce Crossing; at 3954 U.S. Highway 2 West in Iron River Township; and at 4748 Rosemont St. in Watersmeet Township. The government is seeking any other proceeds of the alleged marijuana ring that may have been omitted on reporting forms by the defendants.

The suspects appeared yesterday (Tues, May 17, 2016) before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Timothy P. Greeley in Marquette on a superseding indictment. A federal grand jury returned the the sealed superseding indictment on May 10 and it was unsealed Tuesday after the suspects appeared in court.

The original indictment, filed April 12, only named Ward. The charges first surfaced against Ward on March 29 in a “sealed criminal complaint” that was unsealed two days later when he made his first appearance in federal court. Out on bond, Ward did not have to make another appearance this week, but the other three were in court Tuesday.

The indictment alleges the ring distributed hundreds of pounds of marijuana between Oct. 2014 and Feb. 18, 2016. Ward is accused of distributing 100 or more marijuana plants plus over 220 pounds (100 kilos) of cultivated marijuana. Peltola, Stapleton and Asikainen are all charged with each distributing 50 or more marijuana plants plus over 110 pounds (50 kilos) of cultivated pot.

[+Malamute]

Yea.  There's some history there.

 

These people were acting like they had a death wish. It was very unsurprising when he got busted the first time; even less so this time.

 

Federal is a biotch.  He is screweded.

[trichcycler]

Geesh!!!

 

 

(...controlled buys, dispensaries, over a hundred  plants, ........sound familiar?)

Edited August 9, 2016 by trichcycler

[WET]

Room looks a little dirty. No wonder this was associated with a dispensary. That res looks as crusty as a old bowl of Mac and cheese.

 

Wet

[trichcycler]

Room looks a little dirty. No wonder this was associated with a dispensary. That res looks as crusty as a old bowl of Mac and cheese.

 

Wet

whatever man, that amount of plants is a tough job for a  10 dollar an hour employee.  

My room is messier, my reservoirs looked similar after year of use in hydro, even with less plants, and  smaller ones too. Of course I didnt have  an employee to blame it on....

 

mibrains has the cleanest dirt grow garden I've ever seen. I havent seen many that didnt look like a dirt floor greenhouse, just like mine does(and was, sorta).

Its tough, and we're forced to use our grow space as work space often, dirt+water = mud, dirt is messy dry too. Most of my heavy work is done outside of the garden but inside of the same building, and it has a dirt floor also, yuck on the shoes, tracked into the garden.....whatever, where would the spiders live without the corner messes.

[+Malamute]

mine is very clean. Mopped with bleach twice weekly. Walls scrubbed once a week with bleach.

 

Water rez scrubbed monthly.

 

*shrug*

 

Get cleaning grassmatch!  Ya bum...

[+Malamute]

Btw, I agree. Those rez's are gross.

[WET]

whatever man, that amount of plants is a tough job for a  10 dollar an hour employee.  

My room is messier, my reservoirs looked similar after year of use in hydro, even with less plants, and  smaller ones too. Of course I didnt have  an employee to blame it on....

 

mibrains has the cleanest dirt grow garden I've ever seen. I havent seen many that didnt look like a dirt floor greenhouse, just like mine does(and was, sorta).

Its tough, and we're forced to use our grow space as work space often, dirt+water = mud, dirt is messy dry too. Most of my heavy work is done outside of the garden but inside of the same building, and it has a dirt floor also, yuck on the shoes, tracked into the garden.....whatever, where would the spiders live without the corner messes.

haha. Ok. I'd eat in my rooms. Cleaned daily with a weekly dedicated cleaning day. You might also skip the straw or other covering material to keep dirt down whilst watering. Everyone has their standards. Mine are admittedly high. Gloves and coat hang proudly outside the room.

 

You'd be suprised to see how far that ground dust can travel up towards your buds. Hope you didn't step in the doggy doo that day

 

Wet

[phaquetoo]

It was nasty and nice!

 

Im not starting a go fund me page!

 

Peace

[WET]

 

Get cleaning grassmatch!  Ya bum...

yeah, grassmatch! I've read your stuff and me thinks that tongue might be firmly pressed in cheek....at least a little

[trichcycler]

just imagine those yucky azzed outdoor kennel meds right

bleach does see my room, one day a year. I sweep daily, and dump a dust pan too. I dont use straw, and I dont top water anymore(octopots)...but in veg.....one gallon bags, resting in a 3x3 tray, top watered, roots growing into the fallen layer of dirt even. I vac it out monthly. never had mites whew. (see bottom) (I got grow shoes, man, and a smock too. )

 

the best herb I've ever had since 18 is always coming from and growing in my garden since 2009. The first plant I harvested- Northern Lights Skunks- was the best over all herb I ever experienced. I used to get " the good stuff" monthly too, like an 1/8 or so. and it was great, but......

 

besides, after years of mastering this craft I've come to learn that mites are attracted to such things as

bleach, neem oil, mops, and sulfur burners. those tools are often found in the gardens of growers afraid to grow from seed too coincidentally.

[bobandtorey]

http://www.9and10news.com/story/32711575/sting-arrests-seven-people-in-oscoda-county-for-illegal-marijuana-dispensaries

[cristinew]

Natives are better off with pot, 

[cristinew]

414 South Front Street in Marquette, MI,  is a vacant lot?  what gives,,

[AmishRnot4ganja]

I would be willing to bet that this story has been overblown by both the police and the press. Sensationalism sells papers and gets people worked up in a way that benefits the law enforcement agenda.

[cristinew]

UPCA  just a little white shack,

[matt79]

My res looked that bad after 4 weeks of running well water through it.

Now I've ran RO and it's super clean. Haven't had to scrub it in 7 months

[trichcycler]

^^ exactly!  

I grew with ro water for a minute but actually preferred my spring water results, calcium buildup res and all. I saw no negative effects from the mineral buildup in my reservoirs. my 2 gallon plastic grow pots looked horrible, with the outside always having a perm ring around it from the flood/drain fill. In summer time it was easy for me to pressure wash trays and reservoirs, and hose off buckets, but in the winter time it was impossible.

 

I'd grow till spring time with drums full of rocks to be washed on first thaw. Kind of the same now...I collect dirt all winter inside of a building in totes and recycle it outdoors in the spring. I dont like the dirt stores either but no choice for me.

 

Octopot bags are the worst looking, hardest to clean messes. Just like a flood and drain using those cloth grow bags. roots are permanently attached to the sides of the bag until they dry and crumble off. The containers suffer the same mineral buildup but are easier to clean with each change out. I used to scrub those bags, soak them, wash them, fret over them daily....now, I dont care, they get fluffed, knocked off and reused, hairy and all. looks like they'll last about two years for me till I buy replacement bags, a good value imo.

[westmich]

Multi-million dollar operation...yet struggling to pay the light bill.

[westmich]

Room looks a little dirty. No wonder this was associated with a dispensary. That res looks as crusty as a old bowl of Mac and cheese.

 

Wet

All but one of the dispensaries I've ever worked with require testing.  Potency, THC/CBD ratio, mold/mildew, and bugs.  Not sure on pesticide checks.  All good things to have tested for and it's to the benefit of the patient.

[beourbud]

All but one of the dispensaries I've ever worked with require testing.  Potency, THC/CBD ratio, mold/mildew, and bugs.  Not sure on pesticide checks.  All good things to have tested for and it's to the benefit of the patient.

Is it legal to transfer meds to a lab?

[phaquetoo]

Is it legal to transfer meds to a lab?

No!

 

It is also not legal to run a depensary!

 

Peace

[dutchfarm]

Good Question, so if you want your meds tested for mold,etc., what do you do?

                              Farmer Brown

[westmich]

Is it legal to transfer meds to a lab?

 

I don't believe there are any explicit protections in the act for transferring outside of a registered patient/caregiver relationship.

 

I am also curious how the labs manage to store flowers before and after testing.  Most dispensaries seem to rely on the employees being patients/caregivers.  I don't think that is the case with labs.

 

Funny, last time I stopped at a local lab (potency test only) they asked if I wanted what was left of my previous samples.  I said sure but didn't remember what it was.  The lady read of a pretty exotic list of names over the intercom before she got to mine which had everyone cracking up in the lab.

 

Maybe the fact that they all wear white coats and have degrees scares the cops off.

[bax]

not that microscope can see all mold spores either.

 

mold is in the air we breathe.