[420 Girl]

Canada - A 19-year-old Grand Bend man who harvested almost six kilograms of marijuana he had stumbled across near his home was fined $1,000 Thursday in Sarnia court.

Benjamen Gates, 19, had previously pleaded guilty to marijuana possession for the purpose of trafficking on Oct. 3, 2009.

The marijuana was growing in a Lambton Shores field about 25 minutes from his home. He cut, dried, bagged and froze it to preserves the drug's potency.

Nearly a kilogram of valuable bud marijuana was harvested and the rest was leaves and stalks, known as shake.

Federal prosecutor Michael Robb called for a $1,000 for the first-time offender, while defence lawyer William Kennedy requested a discharge that would leave him without a criminal record.

Gates, who has demonstrated an excellent work ethic at two jobs, co-operated with police who found no indication of drug trafficking, such as packaging materials, scales or debt lists, Kennedy said.

Police received an anonymous tip that Gates had marijuana in his freezer, but the lack of other information prevented police from obtaining a search warrant.

Officers knocked on his door asking about marijuana, and Gates consented to a search and showed police numerous large bags of marijuana.

Justice Deborah Austin said discharges are routinely granted for small amounts of marijuana, but Gates case was "too serious" for that. He had seized an an opportunity to control and organize a significant amount of marijuana, she said.

In addition to the fine he was placed on a six months probation.


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