[420 Girl]

Two men who run a Tacoma medical-marijuana dispensary pleaded not guilty Thursday to numerous drug charges stemming from an undercover police investigation.

Michael Jonathan Schaef, Guy Lewis Casey and their supporters claim authorities unfairly targeted them.

The dispensary – Club 420 at 15 S. Oregon Ave. – was open Thursday morning, two days after it was raided.

“Helping sick people get their medical marijuana is not illegal,” said Kristine Casey, who works at the club and is married to Guy Casey.

Court Commissioner Patrick Oishi allowed both men to remain free Thursday on the bails they posted following their Tuesday arrests.

Prosecutors charged Schaef, 48, with three counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and one count each of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance.

They charged Casey, 48, with two counts of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and one count each of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance.

Authorities claim the two sold marijuana to people not authorized to have it, kept a larger supply on hand than the law allows and charged exorbitant prices to enrich themselves.

An undercover detective and an informant this year bought marijuana at the club without having a valid doctor’s authorization for medical marijuana, according to charging documents.

Schaef and Casey said public statements issued by police and prosecutors grossly misrepresented their motives and their operation.

“They said we were in this because of greed and that we’re making thousands of dollars,” Schaef said. “That is crazy.”

Kristine Casey said police destroyed her family’s home in Olalla during the raid.

Prosecutors contend in charging papers that detectives found 76 growing marijuana plants, a small amount of packaged marijuana and $3,000 at the Caseys’ home.

Schaef denied that the club had dispensed marijuana to people without a doctor’s authorization form. He acknowledged that it was possible that some had used forged papers.


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The News Tribune
Author: ADAM LYNN AND ROB CARSON
Contact: The News Tribune
Copyright: Copyright 2010 Tacoma News, Inc.
Website: Tacoma medical pot operators plead not guilty


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