New York State

Any comments?

http://www.thedailystar.com/archivesearch/local_story_079040039.html

Marijuana growing alleged

NEW LISBON _ Deputies investigating a harassment complaint discovered a marijuana cultivation operation inside a barn, according to a media release from the Otsego County Sheriff's Office.

Jimmy J. Pope, 50, and Pauline P. Pope, 59, were charged Monday with unlawfully growing cannabis and fourth-degree criminal possession of marijuana.

Fifty-seven marijuana plants, chemicals, fertilizers, an electronic scale, growing lights and other growing equipment were seized from the barn, deputies said.

The Popes were released on the misdemeanor charges and are scheduled to appear next month in New Lisbon Town Court.

Damn! Misdemeanors?! I always thought NY had some of the worst drug/pot laws in the country. So do they only enforce the "Rockefeller Laws" in the city, or what?

sirharrynuggz said:

Damn! Misdemeanors?! I always thought NY had some of the worst drug/pot laws in the country. So do they only enforce the "Rockefeller Laws" in the city, or what?

Click to expand...

i think this is extraordinary ... it is great news for NYS growers in particular...not so great for the unfortunate growers and my sympathies go out for them

They repealed most of the Rockefeller laws a few years ago.... NY is mad chill with possession laws, 25gr. or less is just a citation for the first 2 offenses, then just bullshit misdemeanor for the 3rd.

With cultivation they go by the weight of the plants, which they dry out first. None of that rootball bullshit I hear about. And they also have to send the plants out to a lab, so if X amount was in Veg. you can claim hemp cultivation

Of course it's good news. I am just surprised that NY state handled it this way. I have always heard how bad their laws were, and this doesn't sound like most the horror stories I've heard about being busted in NY. If you are talking about the "Damn!" in my previous statement, it was a damn of surprise, not disappointment. I could have typed "Wow" instead, and got the same point across.

Yeah....That's Great new's.....NOT!!!!

Having intimate knowledge with the county in question,here's the great news for those two unfortunates.

They just lost ALL there grow stuff and any plants they had,when they get in front of the judge they will get drug court which is a minumum 18 months of going to drug court once a week and weekly testing,ontop of maintaining full time employment and abiding by the courts rules.After that they will start their 3 yrs of probation,including ast least 2 AA or NA meetings a week and testing...for all of this they will have to pay for the testing(sliding scale),theres the couple grand for a lawyer and the court costs on top!!

All in all there Great deal turns out to be 5 yrs of hell and 6 grand in fines....as long as ya dont fuck up within that time thats the least gonna happen,I seen it happen.

just what two people in there late 50's need at this time in there life!!!!!

Asshole Laws,Asshole Courts,Asshole Cop's,Asshole System!!

On the same hand tho Asshole Couple havin Johnny law show up for Harrasment charges!!

sirharrynuggz said:

Of course it's good news. I am just surprised that NY state handled it this way. I have always heard how bad their laws were, and this doesn't sound like most the horror stories I've heard about being busted in NY. If you are talking about the "Damn!" in my previous statement, it was a damn of surprise, not disappointment. I could have typed "Wow" instead, and got the same point across.

Click to expand...

i agree & understood what you ment in the 1'st place

appreciate all opinions

RED145 said:

Yeah....That's Great new's.....NOT!!!!

Having intimate knowledge with the county in question,here's the great news for those two unfortunates.

They just lost ALL there grow stuff and any plants they had,when they get in front of the judge they will get drug court which is a minumum 18 months of going to drug court once a week and weekly testing,ontop of maintaining full time employment and abiding by the courts rules.After that they will start their 3 yrs of probation,including ast least 2 AA or NA meetings a week and testing...for all of this they will have to pay for the testing(sliding scale),theres the couple grand for a lawyer and the court costs on top!!

All in all there Great deal turns out to be 5 yrs of hell and 6 grand in fines....as long as ya dont fuck up within that time thats the least gonna happen,I seen it happen.

just what two people in there late 50's need at this time in there life!!!!!

Asshole Laws,Asshole Courts,Asshole Cop's,Asshole System!!

On the same hand tho Asshole Couple havin Johnny law show up for Harrasment charges!!

Click to expand...

at least no jail in addition to the above

RED145 said:

Yeah....That's Great new's.....NOT!!!!

Having intimate knowledge with the county in question,here's the great news for those two unfortunates.

They just lost ALL there grow stuff and any plants they had,when they get in front of the judge they will get drug court which is a minumum 18 months of going to drug court once a week and weekly testing,ontop of maintaining full time employment and abiding by the courts rules.After that they will start their 3 yrs of probation,including ast least 2 AA or NA meetings a week and testing...for all of this they will have to pay for the testing(sliding scale),theres the couple grand for a lawyer and the court costs on top!!

All in all there Great deal turns out to be 5 yrs of hell and 6 grand in fines....as long as ya dont fuck up within that time thats the least gonna happen,I seen it happen.

just what two people in there late 50's need at this time in there life!!!!!

Asshole Laws,Asshole Courts,Asshole Cop's,Asshole System!!

On the same hand tho Asshole Couple havin Johnny law show up for Harrasment charges!!

Click to expand...

WOW! Do I actually have to explain what I meant? You really don't get it?

Of course I get it!!What?You really dont get what I mean?

I don't think you do, otherwise you wouldn't be ranting to someone who agrees with you.

I wasnt ranting at you Harry,more like just ranting in general...we are both on the same page,MJ laws Suck!!

I figured that scale would just seal the deal and they would get slapped with distribution also.

no comment....better left that way

Chiefsmokingbud said:

I figured that scale would just seal the deal and they would get slapped with distribution also.

Click to expand...

you would think they would be harshed more because of that fact ...but...

Red: I agree it´s fuckd up that state can affect in peoples lifestyle that long without prison sentence.. It certainly isnt nice for 50 + couple who´s lifestyle seemed to grow erb & enjoy life, well... not anymore!

If I could choose in their situation, I would take small prison sentence instead of being in big brothers surveilance for 5 years!

That said.. I know how fuck´d up your court system can be and how white comes black in the hands of prosecutor who doesnt have any knowledge about real human life, so I better agree to that BS 5 year program

Thanks for getting our attention Starcrash

http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/scn-sa-drugring4mar22,0,2399722.story

check this one out... in stark contrast to the previous item & this area is about 200 miles south and in a Ct. ..the "gold Coast of the east"

Area men charged in international pot ring

By Martin B. Cassidy
Staff Writer

March 22, 2008

GREENWICH - A Fairfield County marijuana and money-laundering operation funneled more than 100 kilograms of Canadian-grown marijuana into the area over the past two years, according to indictments unsealed yesterday by the U.S. Attorney's Office for Connecticut.

Investigators seized more than $1.4 million from the operation, which was investigated by a joint task force of federal authorities and police departments throughout Fairfield County for more than a year.

Local police departments including Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Stratford and Naugatuck assisted federal authorities in the investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

Six men from Connecticut, New York, and Quebec face federal charges in the case, four of whom were arrested in late December in connection with the ring, said Thomas Carson, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's Office for Connecticut. The other two remain at large.

The four are: Brian Danzi, 33, of 60 Laurel Lane, Ridgefield; his brother Michael Danzi, 31, of 2 Geneva Road, Norwalk; George Tsellos, 38, who also lived at 2 Geneva Road in Norwalk in addition to having a residence in St. Laurent, Quebec; and Christian "Elias" Fortier Kaeslin, 26, of Mooers, N.Y.

The Danzis are alleged to have received marijuana supplied by Tsellos, who then smuggled the more than $500,000 in proceeds back into Canada and to his Canadian associates, according to the indictment.

They, along with Kaeslin, each were indicted on single counts of conspiracy to distribute more than 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute, distribution of marijuana, and conspiracy to smuggle cash in bulk out of the United States, according to the indictment.

Federal authorities are seeking the forfeiture of property acquired by the defendants, including Danzi's three-story home in Ridgefield, three Yamaha all-terrain vehicles, a black 2000 Mercedes-Benz, and a black 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Tsellos, 38, has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held without bond because of concerns about his immigration status, his Bridgeport-based defense attorney Frank Riccio said.

"It really is too early to comment on the facts of the case, and we're in the process of discovery of the government's evidence," Riccio said.

Calls to Bruce Koffsky, Brian Danzi's criminal defense attorney, and federal public defender Paul Thomas, who is representing Michael Danzi were not returned.

Attempts to reach Kaeslin and the two remaining men at large and indicted on the same charges, Jose Legeun-Mejia, and Soterios "Michael" Tsellos, were unsuccessful.