cannabisnews.com: DEA Raids Santa Rosa Pot Club, Arrests 2 










  DEA Raids Santa Rosa Pot Club, Arrests 2 

Posted by CN Staff on May 30, 2002 at 06:36:43 PT
By Randi Rossman and Lori Carter, Press Democrat 
Source: Press Democrat 

Federal drug agents raided a storefront medical marijuana club in Santa Rosa on Wednesday and searched a second undisclosed location. A Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman said two people were arrested and marijuana, cash, a car and a weapon were seized.Federal officials, saying court records in the case were sealed, refused to provide any more details, including where the arrests were made. The raid was the latest in a series of DEA raids on buyers clubs that popped up around the state after voters approved a 1996 initiative allowing medical use of marijuana.
Marijuana use is prohibited by federal law, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the clubs last summer, clearing the way for a federal crackdown.DEA spokesmen say they aren't actively targeting the clubs but simply following leads to marijuana trafficking groups.The Santa Rosa club, the Aiko Compassion Center on West College Avenue, is one of four marijuana buyers clubs in the county, medical marijuana advocates said.The raid upset advocates, who say they work with local law enforcement on guidelines to help them stay within state law."I'm not surprised but I'm outraged," said Ernest "Doc" Knapp, a spokesman for the Sonoma Alliance for Medical Marijuana.Witnesses described DEA agents in dark-colored SUVs pulling up to the front door of the club at about 10:45 a.m. Wednesday."They made a big show of it," said Mark Nabavi, who runs the Printing Express store next door. "They blocked the front entrance and wouldn't let anyone in. They took down everyone's license plate number."Club manager John Sugg was there at the time. He said officers handcuffed him but later released him. He wasn't arrested but was given a notice to appear before a federal grand jury in San Francisco, he said.Santa Rosa attorney Rich Ingram said the men arrested were Edward Bierling of Santa Rosa and Dan Nelson.Bierling is a medical marijuana user, said Ingram, who is his lawyer. He declined to say whether Bierling is a member of the Aiko club. Neither Ingram nor Sugg would provide more information about Nelson.Both men are scheduled to appear today in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, Ingram said. Both were being held Wednesday night at the Sonoma County Jail.Because the records are sealed, Ingram said he doesn't know the charges or the circumstances of the arrests. He said the records should be unsealed at today's hearing.Ingram did say that DEA agents searched Bierling's home March 8 and confiscated some marijuana and lights. He said Bierling was in compliance with Sonoma County's guidelines for medical marijuana use.The Aiko club has operated on West College Avenue for less than a year. It previously was on Fourth Street near downtown, according to local advocates.Knapp said the club serves more than 100 people and takes steps to ensure clients have legitimate approval from doctors to obtain marijuana.Some cities and counties have issued ID cards to certified medical marijuana users. In Sonoma County, certified users can obtain a letter from a panel of doctors set up to review applicants and are allowed to possess up to three pounds of pot.The guidelines led to a truce between local drug officers and medical marijuana users, which both sides say has worked.But a local DEA task force operates in Sonoma County, and agency spokesmen say in federal eyes there is no such thing as medical marijuana."We have not targeted marijuana clubs. We have investigated marijuana trafficking groups," said San Francisco DEA spokesman Rich Meyer. "As we develop leads, we follow those leads. If one takes us to a marijuana club, then we continue that investigation."Sugg said there have been recent arrests in Sonoma County, so "we had an inkling it might happen in a few weeks from now, but we were surprised a little bit."At Aiko a few hours after the raid, a steady stream of customers approached the front door only to find it locked tight with no indication why."What a shame," said one man who declined to give his name. "Your tax dollars at work."Another man who said he smokes marijuana on a doctor's recommendation to alleviate glaucoma discomfort was disappointed to find the club closed."It's my first time here and I can't even score," he said.Note: Local medical marijuana advocates outraged; suspects face hearing in SF. Source: Press Democrat, The (CA)Author: Randi Rossman and Lori Carter, The Press DemocratPublished: Thursday, May 30, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Press DemocratContact: letters pressdemo.comWebsite: http://www.pressdemo.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:Americans for Safe Accesshttp://safeaccessnow.org Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htm DEA Raids Santa Rosa Medical Marijuana Club http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12999.shtmlCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 

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Comment #6 posted by FoM on May 31, 2002 at 06:38:05 PT
News Brief from SFC
Medical Pot Club Closes Down After DEA Raid 
Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer
Friday, May 31, 2002 
©2002 San Francisco Chronicle 
URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2002/05/31/BA103090.DTL 
A Santa Rosa medical marijuana club reportedly halted operations Thursday as its owner and another man appeared in court on drug charges in the aftermath of the latest federal raid on a California marijuana provider. 
U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents searched the Aiko Compassion Center on West College Avenue on Wednesday. They then arrested Daniel H. Nelson, identified by a DEA agent as the owner, and Edward M. Bierling of Santa Rosa, described by his lawyer as a patient. 
Both men appeared before a federal magistrate in San Francisco on charges of cultivating more than 100 marijuana plants, charges that carry a mandatory prison sentence of at least five years. Nelson is also charged with maintaining a place where marijuana was cultivated. Both were released on bond. 
Attorney Richard Ingram said Bierling has a certificate from a doctor, reviewed by a medical panel established with approval of local law enforcement, entitling him to grow and use marijuana for his medical condition. The lawyer declined to discuss the condition. 
The Aiko center, which has more than 100 patients as members, halted operations Thursday after being served with a three-day eviction notice by its landlord, said Ernest Knapp, spokesman for the Sonoma Alliance for Medical Marijuana. Knapp said the landlord had gotten a letter from a DEA lawyer warning that the government would seize the property if the landlord didn't stop the illegal activity. 
"Patients have been coming in all day, panicked. Some are disabled and have a hard time getting to the three other clubs in the county," Knapp said. 
DEA spokesman Richard Meyer said the agency is not going after marijuana clubs. "We target marijuana traffickers," he said. 
Copyright: 2002 San Francisco Chronicle  Page A - 24 
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Comment #5 posted by boballen13 on May 31, 2002 at 01:30:11 PT:
THEY ARENT THAT DUMB
These folks that persecute us for cannabis do it as a god-given right... dont shit yourselves this is a religious war. They reckon they can burn the sinners and save themselves... i dont know why the equation requires human sacrifice but the prohibitionists really do their wicked deeds under a cloak of "GODLINESS"... If you think we aint in a religious war and well as a war of ideas... just remember that john ashcroft dont like naked marble.
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Comment #4 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on May 30, 2002 at 14:16:00 PT
It Begins.
 People have been saying it was only a matter of time before they start raiding everyplace. Time to look at the iToke model (www.itoke.co.uk) and NOT have "storefront" dispenseries. Guerrilla delivery networks: I think thats the future (Note: I know nothing about delivery services)This is where I draw the line as far as "turning the other cheek" and giving the other guy the benifet of the doubt and it is time to adjust to the reality "they" mean "us" harm. I know it's SUPPOSED to be "America" but the Fedderal Government has suspended the Constitution for cannabis culture: it is nothing less than that. The war is On. Thus the need to act like it, essentially. Dig in, hide, operate covertly, use the same psychwar tactics being used against us. I cannot get over the "star wars" Empire metaphor. That fernry place in "The Empire Strikes Back" was a "sea of Green" and all the ewoks "real-life" versions of the Grateful Dead teddybear. The Federal Government being the evil Empire. Its culture war..its pure capitalism as well: get rid of surplus poulations....for whatever reason. China has falun Gong - revolutionary health movement (very threatening) and America has cannabis culture. Potheads are worse than terrorists here. I would also remind people to review the propsed changes being made in the FBI. I suggest that the issue of "foreknowledge" will be capped off by the FBI and a few other sgencies A) taking the fall for lapses and B) those lapses being targeted for "improvements" almost all of which will be chillinigly close to unconstitutional. Meanwhile, Californis has a real problem with threats to its States Rights looming along with continued "non-specific" terror threats against west Coast targets. Nobody can convince me cannabis prohibition is worth this amount of effort and anguish and resources without factoring in "advance knowlegde" that enforcement would create the very problems they alledge to be "fighting", allowing federal and state offices to gather far greater powers than allowed by law, all the while bilking the People of tax money, watering down and suspending thier consitutional rights, dividing them up, and selling them off to transnational corporations. Hell, Canada's borders and soverignty are probably only ceremonial at this point, maintianed to keep the pascified while the US sews another huge star on the Flag. (Canada: the 53rd state!) Hail the Conquest of the Empire!sorry, I ranted..... Please take care and make a value of going underground: the war is here. FREEDOM ENDURES
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Comment #3 posted by releafer on May 30, 2002 at 10:32:43 PT
Federal Patients
Your right John, they have Medical Marijuana patients, but, they were allowed to LIE to the Supremes that there are no medical values in Pot. The stupid Ass Supreme Court believes them.What can a person do if all the masters are this stupid?If we allow Tyranny....Tyranny is what we deserve.Ballots or Bullets
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on May 30, 2002 at 09:22:50 PT

A Friendly Reminder - June 6th 
National Day of Direct Action June 6th

Push back the DEAs expanding war on Americans!

Keep medical marijuana safe and legal!
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=48

Thursday, June 6, 2002 at noon at your local DEA outpost. Click here for a list. 
http://safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=52
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Comment #1 posted by John Markes on May 30, 2002 at 07:35:52 PT

Duh...
 "But a local DEA task force operates in Sonoma County, and agency spokesmen say in federal eyes there is no such thing as medical marijuana." I guess they didn't know the feds give Medical Marijuana to several patients... How much do we pay these guys to be so stupid?
ARDPArk
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