Man Obeyed Mich. Laws, But Will Serve 10 In Federal Prison For Family Pot Operation
DETROIT (WWJ) - Despite obeying state law, several Michigan marijuana patients are heading to prison because they violated federal marijuana laws.
As WWJ's Marie Osborne reports, a pro-pot group "Americans for Safe Access" is helping publicize their ordeal.
Fifty-three-year old Jerry Duval of Monroe County has two weeks of freedom until his prison term begins.
On June 11th - he'll report to federal prison , he was found guilty of intent to distribute marijuana. He said his family's pot growing operation followed Michigan law to the letter.
"And in my case I'm a patient, I'm a one-hundred percent legal; the marijuana was registered to my son and my daughter and I get convicted for this," he said.
His lawyer, Thomas Levine, said his client is caught in the middle of state and federal laws that differ.
Duval said that state officials had inspected his growing operation in Monroe County in June of 2011. "They found everything was in compliance with Michigan law. We didn't do nothing wrong, the plant count was all there, the license was posted was in a locked secure facility," he said.
Two years ago tanks, armed police and arrived at the Duvuals growing operation as part of a federal raid two-years ago.
"They were completely in compliance because we had it in seperate, enclosed, locked facilities - each of the caregivers," he noted.
Duval, who also has a medical marijuana card, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
