Archive for the ‘Incarceration’ Category

Canada’s ‘Prince of Pot’ Admits Marijuana Seed Dealing

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
Marc Emery with a supporter May 25, 2010 – A Canadian cannabis advocate has pleaded guilty to selling millions of marijuana seeds in the US in exchange for an agreed five year jail term.

Marc Emery appeared in court in Seattle after being extradited from Vancouver.

Emery, who became known as the Prince of Pot, sold millions of marijuana seeds around the world by post before his 2005 arrest.

His seeds were traced to illegal cannabis-growing operations in the US, US drug enforcement officials said.

Emery’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for 11 August, and he or prosecutors can withdraw from the plea deal if the judge issues a different sentence.

A vocal advocate of legalising cannabis Emery was arrested in Canada on a US extradition request, but bailed amid legal efforts to have him serve time in Canada if convicted.

His wife Jodie has called his extradition an “outsourcing of justice”.

In a recent interview Emery said he had no regrets about his online dealership that sold seeds to consenting adults, the Associated Press reported.  Source.

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Extradition Order Issued for Canadian Pot Activist Emery

Monday, May 10th, 2010

May 10, 2010 – Vancouver’s so-called Prince of Pot will be turned over to U.S. authorities to face drug charges five years after he was first arrested for selling marijuana seeds to U.S. residents, his wife and lawyer have confirmed.

Marc Emery, 51, turned himself in to authorities at B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver on Monday after his bail, granted in November, expired.

His wife, Jodie, told CBC News she has learned that federal Justice Minister Robert Nicholson has signed an order clearing the way for Emery to be extradited to the U.S.

Emery’s lawyer, Kirk Tousaw, said as part of a plea bargain deal, Emery will not appeal the extradition order and will likely be transferred to Seattle within a week.

Busted in Canada for breaking U.S. laws
Emery was arrested in 2005 — following an investigation by Canadian and U.S. police — for allegedly selling marijuana seeds over the internet from Vancouver to residents of the U.S.

He made an agreement with U.S. prosecutors last year that he would plead guilty to one charge of drug distribution in exchange for a five-year sentence.

Under the terms of the deal, Emery is expecting return to Canada to serve his sentence, said Tousaw.

The marijuana advocate surrendered for extradition last September but was later freed on bail in November, because Nicholson had not yet signed the order.

Before turning himself in on Monday, Emery told CBC News he was hopeful that Nicholson would decide to stay his extradition after he turned himself in.

Emery has said previously that he made the plea agreement with U.S. prosecutors so that his two co-accused — Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams — would each be given two years’ probation and to avoid a criminal trial that could result in a prison sentence of up to 50 years.

Meanwhile, The Canadian Press is reporting that a briefing memo to Canada’s justice minister said a U.S. drug enforcement agent worked in Canada to secure U.S. criminal charges against Marc Emery.

The memo also said thousands of letters have been sent to government urging the minister not to extradite the pot advocate.

Emery said he isn’t surprised by the support because millions of people oppose the idea of Canada bending to American will. Source.

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