Tag: Chris Bartkowicz
Posted on Fri Jan 28, 2011 at 03:54:47 PM EST
Tags: Chris Bartkowicz, medical marijuana (all tags)
The much-publicized case of Colorado marijuana grower Chris Bartkowicz wrapped up this morning when a federal judge sentenced him to five years in prison.
Bartkowicz came to the attention of the DEA after giving 9News an on camera interview and tour of his residence with the grow. He thought he was in compliance with state law. The DEA raided the house and seized 224 plants, which was more than six plants per the number of patients for whom he was a caregiver.
Bartkowicz had two prior felony convictions and the feds decided to play hardball by filing a notice to enhance his sentence due to the prior convictions. He was facing a mandatory minimum of 60 years and possibly life in prison. [More...]
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Posted on Thu Feb 18, 2010 at 07:26:08 PM EST
Tags: Chris Bartkowicz, medical marijuana (all tags)
A U.S. Magistrate Judge this afternoon granted bond to Chris Bartkowicz, arrested last weekend after DEA raided his residence, having seen a news story about him on TV in which he claimed to be growing legally under Colorado law.
The Government had requested Bartkowicz be detained without bond pending trial. A hearing will be held tomorrow morning on his lawyers' motion to require the DEA to preserve the plants.
The judge set bond in the amount of $10,000.00 cash. He will also be on electronic monitoring. [More...]
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Posted on Tue Feb 16, 2010 at 02:28:49 PM EST
Tags: Chris Bartkowicz, medical marijuana (all tags)
On Saturday I wrote about Chris Bartkowicz, a medical marijuana grower who, believing he was in compliance with Colorado law, showed his grow to a local news station doing a story on marijuana cultivation in the Denver suburbs, and was promptly busted by the DEA.
The case has caused a big stir, mostly because of DEA Agent Jeffrey Sweetin's initial comments that contradict the Department of Justice memorandum (pdf)issued by Deputy Attorney General David Ogden in October, implementing a DOJ policy change that was widely heralded around the country. Sweetin on Friday night said:
[more...]Nothing in federal law has changed. Wanting federal law to be different is not a great strategy....We will continue to enforce federal law, that's what we're paid to do, until the federal law changes.The only exception to that is discretion and department guidance."
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