Medical Marijuana Providers Convicted

U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott on Friday called two Modesto, Calif., medical marijuana providers the “poster children” for problems with California’s Compassionate Use law.

He praised a jury in Fresno, Calif., for convicting Ricardo Montes and Luke Scarmazzo on Thursday on federal drug trafficking charges, one of which carries a minimum sentence of 20 years.

“These were drug dealers selling marijuana. This case is that simple,” Scott said.

Scott argued that Montes’ and Scarmazzo’s California Healthcare Collective flouted state law, too, because it turned a $9 million profit between 2004 and 2006. State law requires that medical marijuana dispensaries operate as nonprofits.

-McClatchy Newspapers

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