NV: Federal Charges Filed In Medical Marijuana Dispensary Raids

cynicallyoptimistic

Active Member
Carri Geer Thevenot | Las Vegas Review-Journal | January 6, 2011

Authorities continued their assault on the city's medical marijuana dispensaries Thursday with the arrests of 12 people, including outspoken activist and convicted felon Pierre Werner, associated with the storefront businesses.

The arrests followed the September raids of several Las Vegas dispensaries, including Dr. Reefer, a business operated by Werner's mother and brother at 8975 S. Pecos Road.

"There seems to be a pretty clear political agenda right now with the dispensaries as a whole," said Werner's attorney, Conrad Claus.

Federal prosecutors filed criminal complaints three weeks ago against 15 defendants, but the charges were sealed until Thursday. Among those arrested in Las Vegas were Werner, 39; his mother, Reynalda Barnett, 59; and his brother, Clyde Barnett, 21.

Werner and the Barnetts are charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Reynalda and Clyde Barnett also are charged with distribution of marijuana. Werner and Reynalda Barnett face additional charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and concealing or failing to disclose information affecting Social Security benefits.

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D.Gotti

Active Member
Yes it does. It would help things immensely though if the people on our side would stop handing the other side ammo.

Just my
Thats what the feds are looking for, people who have been given a legal right to possess and cultivate, who are illegally distributing. I think mmj growers should be happy that they can grow and smoke legally to help relieve illness. They shouldnt be selling it to non-medical users, if you need the money become a caregiver for someone who isnt able to grow their own. Its easier to find the legal mj cultivators, than the illegal ones. The feds already have legal caregivers and dispensaries addresses and numbers, so they can go follow you around easier than they can find, identify, and follow an illegal cultivator. If it doesnt stop, they have a better chance of winning the war. Every single time a legal user or cultivator abuses their privilege, and gets caught, it puts us 1 step behind the feds in this war. If the legal people keep it legal, we can make it really hard for them to win the war.
 

cynicallyoptimistic

Active Member
They shouldnt be selling it to non-medical users, if you need the money become a caregiver for someone who isnt able to grow their own.
If you need the money don't try and make by being a caregiver in Nevada. Caregivers are expected to grow for free. Want to be a caregiver and a patient at the same time? You can forget that too! You're not allowed. Lame? Yes!
 

Krang

Member
Thats what the feds are looking for, people who have been given a legal right to possess and cultivate, who are illegally distributing. I think mmj growers should be happy that they can grow and smoke legally to help relieve illness.
I agree, for the most part. Actually, I posted about this bust in the Nevada Medical Marijuana forum. One of the people busted wasn't even supposed to be a dispensary operator-- he and his mom ran a consultation business to help people get medical marijuana cards, and now they're being charged with dealing. The others, I'm almost certain, did legitimately (or... I guess... illegitimately) run dispensaries.

As I said in the other thread, I give it about a 50/50 shot that that guy was actually dealing, but it makes little difference to me. (although I hope they don't do serious time for this... not a TOTALLY self-centered dick, haha) I was hoping to get my card here in short order, but now I'm really uneasy about making the attempt because I won't have someone to guide me over the paperwork and make sure I'm doing it right and to also recommend a doctor for me to see. I wouldn't want to shell out all this cash only to have my application rejected, after all.

There's also the fact that these people have subjected their customers to potential scrutiny, as their computers were seized (by FEDERAL and local agents) and, theoretically, anyone who did business with them is now on some watch list until los federales decide to bring the hammer down on those poor people. I guess someone would be on some sort of list, anyway, if they were accepted into the program. (and, potentially if they weren't) But I don't know how accessible that list would've been to the DEA, or whether or not they would even care about small-time medical marijuana patients rather than the large dispensaries.

But I agree with you. Ideally, people need to get cards and grow their own. (unless they're seriously ill... in which case there ought to be alternatives) 3 plants every few months is more than enough to keep your average stoner at bay. If it's not enough, then I guess they should grow better stuff. :)

It would also effectively address those whole narco-trafficking, anti-drug cartel arguments anti-legalization folks like to use--not that those people know a good argument from a bad one, anyway.
 

Krang

Member
We posted the same story.
Oh, crap. Sorry if I stole your thunder there.

Well, at least I put it in the Nevada forum, so maybe it won't be COMPLETELY redundant.

Still... crazy shit. I guess Dr. Reefer's the one who needs to "Get Legal," now, poor guy. And all those others, too. :(

Hope they get off easy.
 

cynicallyoptimistic

Active Member
Still... crazy shit. I guess Dr. Reefer's the one who needs to "Get Legal," now, poor guy. And all those others, too. :( Hope they get off easy.
No problem on posting the story also. I agree on the crazy shit. Dr. Reefer (who is not really a doctor) is a felon and can't "Get Legal" in the state of Nevada. There are lots of interesting news stories about Dr Reefer (aka Pierre Werner) that make up a very interesting history of medical marijuana in this state.
When you play with fire you're gonna get burned if you're not careful. :fire:
 

Krang

Member
Yeah, I had read a few of the stories and I've been to his site, so I've seen the news stories put on youtube as well.

I hadn't heard anything about his mom having a criminal record, though, and it seems as if that may change, provided that the charges aren't dropped. She and his brother (who is just a kid, if I remember right) were actually the ones arrested for supposedly dealing. Totally fucking weak. I've read reviews of the service online and everyone really seemed to enjoy dealing with her throughout the process.

Very very stupid of them, if it turns out to have been true. (which, as I've said, I could flip a coin on believing)

If I ran a consulting business like that, all of my employees, ESPECIALLY family would be told the four rules:

#1- DON'T sell pot out of the business. (or EVER, actually)
#2- DON'T tell people where to get pot outside of the business.
#3- DON'T provide any information to ANYONE about people associated with the business. (Doctors, employees, customers, etc.)
#4- DON'T fraternize with anyone you meet at the business. Or, if you must, do so on your own, far, far away from the business and follow rules 1-3.

It'd be pretty hard for something to go awry if you and your employees were following these rules, I'd think.

Maybe one of the reasons he got busted was precisely because he was so visible-- what, with the billboards, news stories and all. If you're going to do something like that, you may want to be, as Stephen Colbert put it, "a manila envelope glued to a beige wall." That's a good way to ensure that you're never made an example of. Then again, I wonder what all these other guys did to attract all that unwanted attention...

I had actually read that Las Vegas Weekly article you posted in another thread and they had a quote from a law enforcement official who said that dispensaries weren't illegal under Nevada law, but that they would raid dispensaries who operated on the fringes of legality or something like that... which is strange given the current federal justification that dispensaries are illegal in Nevada PERIOD. They also said that there were something like 60 dispensaries operating in Vegas... I wonder what their justifications were for NOT raiding the other ones, then? Are they just reserving the right to be TOTALLY arbitrary? Maybe they'll get to those later? Maybe they're making these decisions via some sort of dart board process?

It'll be interesting to see what happens with the dispensaries here over the next year, regardless...
 

cynicallyoptimistic

Active Member
Some of them fellas at Metro are not the sharpest tacks on the cork board. :dunce:

Here is a follow-up story to the article you mention.

Last week’s cover story on medical marijuana in Nevada looked at the issue from the perspectives of seven people directly affected by it—two patients, a police officer, a doctor, a grower, a proponent and a provider. Since publication, we’ve received lots of responses offering other perspectives on the state of medical marijuana in our community, including a call from Metro narcotics detective Ryan Kraft seeking to clarify a few aspects of the law.

“Dispensaries are illegal in Nevada,” Detective Kraft says, regardless of how businesses label their operations, co-ops included. “If they are providing marijuana in exchange for monetary compensation, then I would consider, that to be ‘consideration’ and that is illegal—whether you call it a ‘donation,’ whether you call it a ‘consulting fee,’ the basis of the amount of money that is exchanged is most likely based on the quantity or the quality of the marijuana that’s provided to the customer. Full article here
 

Krang

Member
Shitty.

And I've found that Metro isn't so bad. (for being... you know, the man and everything) It's those Northtown Popos you've got to watch out for. They's CRAZY.

I'll bet that poor guy who said it was legal in the original article got a lot of hell for that. He may have even lost his job.

Shouldn't I be concerned, though, that not even a police spokesman seems to know the law on dispensaries?
 

cynicallyoptimistic

Active Member
Any time there is extreme ignorance and stupidity there is cause for concern. You know what I think? I think Nevada is in a sorry state of affairs regarding medical marijuana.
 

tardis

Well-Known Member
Thats what the feds are looking for, people who have been given a legal right to possess and cultivate, who are illegally distributing. I think mmj growers should be happy that they can grow and smoke legally to help relieve illness. They shouldnt be selling it to non-medical users, if you need the money become a caregiver for someone who isnt able to grow their own. Its easier to find the legal mj cultivators, than the illegal ones. The feds already have legal caregivers and dispensaries addresses and numbers, so they can go follow you around easier than they can find, identify, and follow an illegal cultivator. If it doesnt stop, they have a better chance of winning the war. Every single time a legal user or cultivator abuses their privilege, and gets caught, it puts us 1 step behind the feds in this war. If the legal people keep it legal, we can make it really hard for them to win the war.
I totally agree with you. I wouldn't want to risk the best hobbie and absolute best and safest cure for my illness.
 

weedsLV

Active Member
First of all Pierre Werner is a person dr reefer us his company. Pierre is a long time pot activist that's been fighting for our rights and pushing to get laws changed for some time now. His mother and brother reina and Clyde were running his dr reefer referral company in Vegas reina is a wonderful woman looking to help nevadans get legal Clyde was the on site notary he to wa just tryin to help nevadans. They never " sold" pot to non mmj patients of Nevada. They may or may not have had a small dispensary. Whatever the case is these r all good people trying to help us be legitimate in this whole mmj thing. These r the people that push the laws by bendin an finding loop holes that eventually en up getting the broken laws fixed if your not familiar with the Nevada mmj law google it nrs 453a it's the most fucked up law ever written any Nevada mmj patient is forced to sometime break the law in order to get there Meds. It is illegal to buy weed seeds or plants. They r supposed to magically fall out the sky land in ya growroom or back yard (7 of em) 3 mature n for immature and then not produce more then an ounce. R law needs a drastic change and these good people r the ones taking the hit to get it changed. I to am a Nv mmj patient my paperwork med records and personal info was ceased by the dea metro an IRS along with my rights as an American and my dignity. So so much for growin my own I the dea comes a knockin it don't matter if I have 1 or a thousand it's federally illegal and I'm doin the time with em. Guess I'm back to the black market to get my Meds and help drug cartels expand there biz rather then growing my own or buying it from a dispensary ran by good citizens?? This laws fucked thank you Pierre Clyde n reina and if any one finds out any further status on there family regarding the wrongful charges hopefully being dropped please post here. Thanks
 

cynicallyoptimistic

Active Member
if any one finds out any further status on there family regarding the wrongful charges hopefully being dropped please post here.
I haven't heard anything about that but I'm curious what the outcome of the whole Social Security debacle will be. Do you think those are wrongful charges too?
 

weedsLV

Active Member
I don't have any idea about this social security thing. Refresh my memory what are they being accused of for the social security thing. By just making an educated guess without really understanding the issue I would assume the mans just tryin to dig up any lil thing to cost them more money in court? But really I have met this family multiple times they r good caring people not criminals. Pierre is a lil out there but not a "real criminal" just a guy not afraid to push the laws limits. And luckily he's got a good lawyer an the money to fight the system so I'm interested to c the outcome of this. Also any info on the dispensaries that got closed down? I know that metro placed multiple felony charges on em? Any info on the outcome of that???
 

cynicallyoptimistic

Active Member
I don't have any idea about this social security thing. Refresh my memory what are they being accused of for the social security thing. By just making an educated guess without really understanding the issue I would assume the mans just tryin to dig up any lil thing to cost them more money in court? But really I have met this family multiple times they r good caring people not criminals. Pierre is a lil out there but not a "real criminal" just a guy not afraid to push the laws limits. And luckily he's got a good lawyer an the money to fight the system so I'm interested to c the outcome of this. Also any info on the dispensaries that got closed down? I know that metro placed multiple felony charges on em? Any info on the outcome of that???
The authorities are claiming that Pierre and Reyna (Pierre's Mom) failed to disclose or concealed info that affects Social Security benefits. I also read that the Bureau of Indian Affairs was involved - not sure why that is either.

As far as any updates on those cases and dispensaries go - when I do a news search there are only old articles on the original raids or commentaries about them and the law. The newest news articles that I found regarding the law and dispensaries are this one and this one. If I do find anything I will post it - I know a lot of people are interested in how this whole thing will play out.
 

weedsLV

Active Member
Sounds like a typical fuck up any business owner could make? I'm not sure but yea u hear about metro raiding dispensaries and placing charges but u never hear the outcome I'm interested because I don't feel according to nrs that accepting patient to patient " donations" is illegal. But that's just my take from what the law says. I know that metro says it's illegal and arresting people but if the law doesn't specify it should get dismissed in court with a good lawyer and a nice chunk of $
 
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