Peace Piper
04-12-2013, 02:02 AM
Posted by Jake Ellison on April 11, 2013 at 4:53 pm
Despite Oregon’s best efforts to keep medical marijuana patient records private, a federal search warrant forced the state agency to hand over some records, according to recently discovered court records.
The warrant was executed in November of last year against the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, the state agency that administers the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, voted into law in 1998.
As part of an investigation into growers in Oregon suspected of dealing on the black market (the PI doesn’t name suspects in investigations unless they have been charged with a crime), a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration obtained the warrant to aid in his investigation.
“I know that in order to effectively pursue this investigation,” wrote special agent Michael Gutensohn in his application for the warrant, “I need to investigate each of the patients, growers and caregivers associated with” names discovered in the investigation.
“I have probable cause to believe that records from the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program will contain evidence and instrumentalities of marijuana manufacturing and trafficking and conspiracy to commit marijuana manufacturing and trafficking offenses,” he wrote.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Oregon confirmed that only records specifically listed in the warrant were seized. However, Gerri Badden said no other records related to the investigation were publicly available and that the investigation may be ongoing. In that case, no other records related to the investigation would be public at this point.
Prosecution and privacy fears
Because marijuana is still illegal on the federal level – and it’s only by letters of understanding that the U.S. Department of Justice has held off taking action against medical marijuana growers, suppliers and buyers – related records can be seen as evidence of wrong doing....MORE
Here’s the first page of the search warrant showing what the DEA was after (the rest of the warrant lists specific names and addresses among 22 line items detailing the records sought):
The items to be searched for, seized and examined are the premises and/or items described in more detail in Attachment B, that contain evidence and instrumentalities of narcotics manufacturing and trafficking and conspiracy to commit narcotics manufacturing and trafficking offenses, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(l), 846, 952, 960 and 963 and attempts to commit these crimes in in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. The items to be seized cover the period of April 1, 2011, through November 5, 2012.
Representatives of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program are ordered not to disclose the existence or contents of the search warrant, except to the extent necessary to carry out the warrant.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/marijuana/2013/04/11/feds-scoop-up-medical-marijuana-patient-records-in-oregon-investigation/
*******************
Stores in Washington selling Cannabis and banking the $ in an FDIC institution? Sure!
Despite Oregon’s best efforts to keep medical marijuana patient records private, a federal search warrant forced the state agency to hand over some records, according to recently discovered court records.
The warrant was executed in November of last year against the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, the state agency that administers the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, voted into law in 1998.
As part of an investigation into growers in Oregon suspected of dealing on the black market (the PI doesn’t name suspects in investigations unless they have been charged with a crime), a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration obtained the warrant to aid in his investigation.
“I know that in order to effectively pursue this investigation,” wrote special agent Michael Gutensohn in his application for the warrant, “I need to investigate each of the patients, growers and caregivers associated with” names discovered in the investigation.
“I have probable cause to believe that records from the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program will contain evidence and instrumentalities of marijuana manufacturing and trafficking and conspiracy to commit marijuana manufacturing and trafficking offenses,” he wrote.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Oregon confirmed that only records specifically listed in the warrant were seized. However, Gerri Badden said no other records related to the investigation were publicly available and that the investigation may be ongoing. In that case, no other records related to the investigation would be public at this point.
Prosecution and privacy fears
Because marijuana is still illegal on the federal level – and it’s only by letters of understanding that the U.S. Department of Justice has held off taking action against medical marijuana growers, suppliers and buyers – related records can be seen as evidence of wrong doing....MORE
Here’s the first page of the search warrant showing what the DEA was after (the rest of the warrant lists specific names and addresses among 22 line items detailing the records sought):
The items to be searched for, seized and examined are the premises and/or items described in more detail in Attachment B, that contain evidence and instrumentalities of narcotics manufacturing and trafficking and conspiracy to commit narcotics manufacturing and trafficking offenses, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(l), 846, 952, 960 and 963 and attempts to commit these crimes in in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. The items to be seized cover the period of April 1, 2011, through November 5, 2012.
Representatives of the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program are ordered not to disclose the existence or contents of the search warrant, except to the extent necessary to carry out the warrant.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/marijuana/2013/04/11/feds-scoop-up-medical-marijuana-patient-records-in-oregon-investigation/
*******************
Stores in Washington selling Cannabis and banking the $ in an FDIC institution? Sure!