The Risks Of Selling Marijuana For Medical Use

Today's post from kwtx.com (see link below) is a salutory warning to all those producing and/or selling marijuana for medical purposes. Despite the proven benefits of smoked marijuana for people living with neuropathic pain, many areas of the world have laws which see this as being part of a social drug problem and can prosecute, leading to severe sentences. In this particular case, the last paragraph makes us wonder if there is more to the story than meets the eye but the principle of being able to issue marijuana for medical pain relief should be defended against outdated science and state laws. The problem is, you can defend the theory all you like but you need to be aware of local laws and not run foul of them. Maybe in 20 years the whole issue will be seen as a non-argument but at this moment, you may be running a risky business.

 

Waco Man Sentenced To Probation In Marijuana Trafficking Case 
January 13th 2015 

MGN Online

WACO (January 8, 2015) A Waco man was sentenced to federal probation Wednesday after he earlier pleaded guilty to participating with other family members in a marijuana growing and distribution ring.

U.S. District Judge Walter S. Smith, Jr., sentenced Chad K. Koss to serve 3 years on federal probation with the condition that the first six months he be confined to his home between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. each day.

Smith also assessed a $1,000 fine and ordered Koss to pay $100 in special assessment to the court, court records showed.

Koss pleaded guilty on October 23, 2014 to conspiracy with intent to distribute more than 50 kilograms of marijuana stemming from an investigation of what authorities described as a two-state pot distribution operation.
Just the day before, Smith sentenced Koss' mother, Le'Ann Koss, 60, to serve 70 months in prison, followed by five years on supervised release and ordered her to pay a $2000 fine and $200 in special assessment to the court.

His brother, Conner Koss, 26, of Hewitt, was sentenced to 121 months in prison, five years on supervised release and ordered to pay a $1000 fine and $100 in special assessment to the court.

The same day Smith sentenced Brian Thomas Smith, 23, to serve two years in prison, three years on supervised release, pay a $1000 fine and $100 in special assessment to the court in connection with the operation.

Koss' father, Phillip Larry Koss, 59, also pleaded guilty to the same charge, but after his plea he asked for a new attorney.

Chad Koss was arrested April 10, 2014 in Waco on a federal warrant.

He was released from custody after posting a $25,000 unsecured bond.

Phillip, Le'Ann and Conner Koss were arrested on Nov. 29, 2013 at their home in Waco.

Affidavits submitted for the search and arrest warrants said Phillip Koss and his son Conner maintained a residence in California for growing high-grade marijuana.

Court records say the defendants arranged to transport the marijuana to their residence in Hewitt for distribution.

In a search of the family's Waco home, authorities recovered about 12 pounds of tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC, several firearms and about $27,000 in cash, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

On Dec 16, 2013, a McGregor officer assisted California authorities as they served search warrants on two Yuba County homes owned by Chad and Conner Koss, McGregor police Investigator Joe Coy said at the time.

Officers seized about 150 pounds of processed high-grade marijuana, a large amount of marijuana buds, business records and a .40-caliber pistol from the 20-acre property owned by Chad Koss, Coy said.

Other agents served a search warrant in Dobbins, Calif., at a residence owned by Conner Koss where they recovered 30 pounds of high-grade marijuana buds, along with an additional 50 pounds of processed marijuana.

Agents also seized equipment they say was used to process marijuana into hashish, Coy said.

The Waco raid was the culmination of a three-month investigation tied to earlier raids involving Baylor students, a McGregor police source said at the time, but records show a Department of Public Safety narcotics officer started an investigation in February 2012 and in March 2012 found bags in the trash outside Conner Koss' residence in Hewitt that contained cocaine and marijuana residue.

Phillip Koss is the owner of "Stretch for Life," a local business offering non-medicinal therapy for victims of stroke, neuropathy, Parkinson's disease, and dystonia.

In 1983 he was convicted of homicide and was sentenced to 10 years on probation, Texas Department of Public Safety records showed.

http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/287913181.html