wow.. the fucken norton brothers. these guys were way too young to be doin' it way so big... alot of info right here.
Yesterday's DEA bust of Compassionate Collective of Alameda County
was regrettable but not surprising. CCAC was by far the largest
and most conspicuous dispensary in the East Bay, due in large part to
the suppression of its competitors by local regulations, raids and
bans. Contrary to rumors, only CCAC was busted, though a total of
seven different raids occurred on sites affiliated with it. CCAC
tried to operate as a legal business in full compliance with Alameda
County regulations. The Sheriff had said that if they did so, he
could keep the DEA out. Though that sheriff is now retired, his
successor failed to fulfill the promise. The sheriff's department
insisted they had no choice but to let the DEA make the bust, but
it's not clear how honest they were being. A few weeks ago, the
sheriff darkly hinted that there were problems with CCAC. No growing
plants were found, protecting CCAC from mandatory minimums for
cultivation, but the feds still charged them with conspiracy to
distribute more than 100 kilos (5-year mandatory) et al. As usual,
the DEA's press announcement made much of the millions of dollars in
business done by CCAC, without mentioning the millions of dollars
taxes they paid, or the dozens of workers they employed.
CCAC's closure could open the door to a new dispensary application
in Alameda County - the county's ordinance explicitly permits three.
We shall see. In the meantime, the bust threatens to create a
shortage of safe access for patients in the East Bay.
- D. Gieringer
>Newshawk: Citizen Advocacy www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2707
>Pubdate: Wed, 31 Oct 2007
>Source: Oakland Tribune, The (CA)
>
>FEDERAL AGENTS RAID MARIJUANA DISPENSARY
>
>Activists Protest Arrests of Two Alameda County Business Owners
>
>CHERRYLAND -- Federal agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary
>in Cherryland early Tuesday, prompting activists to converge on the
>location in protest.
>
>The Compassionate Collective of Alameda County, at 21222 Mission
>Blvd. near Blossom Way, just north of Hayward, was invaded at 6 a.m.
>by employees of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal
>Revenue Service. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office provided
>security and traffic control during the raid.
>
>Sites in Oakland, Berkeley, Lafayette and Albany also were raided in
>connection with the dispensary bust, officials said.
>
>The dispensary's owners -- Winslow Norton, 26, of Lafayette and
>Abraham Norton, 23, of Oakland, who are brothers -- were arrested
>and held without bail in connection with the raid.
>
>A federal grand jury indicted the Norton brothers for conspiracy to
>distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, maintaining
>drug-involved premises, conspiracy to launder money and money
>laundering, according to a press release from the Department of
>Justice.
>
>In the raid, agents reportedly seized several hundred pounds of
>marijuana, packaging materials and about $200,000 in cash. Several
>vehicles including two late-model Mercedes cars and a Ford F-250
>pickup, three motorcycles, two bank accounts, two IRAs, a home in
>Lafayette and acommercial building in Albany also were seized.
>
>The DEA and IRS began investigating the Nortons' dispensary about a
>year ago. The dispensary Advertisement generated sales of more than
>$74,000 in 2004, $1.3 million in 2005, $21.5 million in 2006 and
>$26.3 million through June 2007,(wow) according to the Department of
>Justice.
>
>The drug conspiracy count has a statutory maximum term of
>imprisonment of 40 years and a minimum of five years, along with a
>$2 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
>
>Bob Swanson, constituent liaison to Alameda County Supervisor Nate
>Miley, said he was on the scene observing the raid and would be
>reporting back to the county Board of Supervisors.
>
>"This is a federal raid based on federal law. It's truly unfortunate
>that the DEA feels they have to come in and waste taxpayer dollars
>to keep medical marijuana from patients.
>
>"As far as we know, (Winslow and Abraham Norton) were operating
>within the (county) ordinance and within state law," Swanson said.
>
>Two other permitted marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated Alameda
>County were not raided Tuesday, Swanson said.
>
>A DEA van and sheriff's patrol cars were parked in front of the
>dispensary for much of the day Tuesday as agents searched the
>building. Agents had gone in through a window, leaving shattered
>glass on the sidewalk. Sheriff's deputies kept a crowd of more than
>a dozen protesters behind a police line.
>
>Oakland resident Sonnet Seborg-Gabbard, 24, a member of the medical
>marijuana advocacy group Americans For Safe Access, arrived on the
>scene after members of her group were alerted to the raid.
>
>"We've alerted all of our patients," she said. "We're here to show
>support for the operators."
>
>Seborg-Gabbard handed out signs in English and Spanish to the
>gathering crowd. Patients of the clinic held up signs that said,
>"We're patients. We are not criminals."
>
>Charles Matthews, 21, a patient from Alameda, said he uses marijuana
>for back pain and migraines. "We're not criminals," Matthews said.
>
>Adam Haselben, 21, of San Jose said he suffers from severe headaches.
>
>"This is the best pharmacy around. It has the highest-quality
>medicine at the most compassionate prices."
>
>Americans For Safe Access spokesman Kris Hermes said his
>organization has tracked 46 DEA raids of medical marijuana
>dispensaries this year. He said there were 20 raids last year.
>
>"This facility was permitted by Alameda County," Hermes said. "The
>DEA is intent on undermining local and state law."
>
>In 2005, The Daily Review reported that Winslow Norton was arrested
>with his girlfriend in Mendocino County in April of that year on
>suspicion of transporting 40 pounds of marijuana. Norton apparently
>had told Mendocino County deputies that he was transporting the
>marijuana to the Compassionate Cooperative of Alameda County.
>
>Norton's father, Michael Norton, tried to post their bail but had
>$150,000 seized by Mendocino County deputies.
>
>In March 2001, Michael Norton of Berkeley was sentenced to 21/2
>years in federal prison for wire fraud and tax evasion in connection
>with a coffee importation business, according to FDA Consumer
>Magazine. Apparently, Michael Norton was mixing coffee imported from
>Central America with Kona coffee and falsely labeling it as 100
>percent Kona coffee, which costs more.
Wed, 31 Oct 2007
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c.../BAGVLT3T40.DTL
Copyright: 2007 Hearst Communications Inc.
Author: Henry K. Lee
HAYWARD - MEDICAL-POT BROTHERS HELD ON DRUG CHARGES
Two East Bay brothers were arrested Tuesday after being indicted by a
federal grand jury on charges that they ran a large-scale drug
operation from a Hayward medical marijuana club from which proceeds
were delivered to a bank by armored car, authorities said.
Winslow Norton, 26, of Lafayette and his brother, Abraham Norton, 23,
of Oakland, who together ran the Compassionate Patients' Cooperative
on the 21000 block of Mission Boulevard in Hayward, were taken into
custody during raids by the Drug Enforcement Administration and other
law enforcement agencies. They are being held without bail.
The Norton brothers were indicted on charges of conspiracy to
distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, distribution of
marijuana, maintaining drug-involved premises, conspiracy to launder
money, and money laundering.
The brothers used drug proceeds to purchase luxury items and
properties, including two new Mercedes-Benzes, a new Ford F-250
truck, three new motorcycles, a home in Lafayette and a commercial
building in Albany. Both Mercedeses were seized, as well as the two
buildings.
--
Dale Gieringer, Director - California NORML, 2215-R Market St. #278,
San Francisco CA 94114 -(415) 563- 5858 - www.canorml.org
Yesterday's DEA bust of Compassionate Collective of Alameda County
was regrettable but not surprising. CCAC was by far the largest
and most conspicuous dispensary in the East Bay, due in large part to
the suppression of its competitors by local regulations, raids and
bans. Contrary to rumors, only CCAC was busted, though a total of
seven different raids occurred on sites affiliated with it. CCAC
tried to operate as a legal business in full compliance with Alameda
County regulations. The Sheriff had said that if they did so, he
could keep the DEA out. Though that sheriff is now retired, his
successor failed to fulfill the promise. The sheriff's department
insisted they had no choice but to let the DEA make the bust, but
it's not clear how honest they were being. A few weeks ago, the
sheriff darkly hinted that there were problems with CCAC. No growing
plants were found, protecting CCAC from mandatory minimums for
cultivation, but the feds still charged them with conspiracy to
distribute more than 100 kilos (5-year mandatory) et al. As usual,
the DEA's press announcement made much of the millions of dollars in
business done by CCAC, without mentioning the millions of dollars
taxes they paid, or the dozens of workers they employed.
CCAC's closure could open the door to a new dispensary application
in Alameda County - the county's ordinance explicitly permits three.
We shall see. In the meantime, the bust threatens to create a
shortage of safe access for patients in the East Bay.
- D. Gieringer
>Newshawk: Citizen Advocacy www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=2707
>Pubdate: Wed, 31 Oct 2007
>Source: Oakland Tribune, The (CA)
>
>FEDERAL AGENTS RAID MARIJUANA DISPENSARY
>
>Activists Protest Arrests of Two Alameda County Business Owners
>
>CHERRYLAND -- Federal agents raided a medical marijuana dispensary
>in Cherryland early Tuesday, prompting activists to converge on the
>location in protest.
>
>The Compassionate Collective of Alameda County, at 21222 Mission
>Blvd. near Blossom Way, just north of Hayward, was invaded at 6 a.m.
>by employees of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal
>Revenue Service. The Alameda County Sheriff's Office provided
>security and traffic control during the raid.
>
>Sites in Oakland, Berkeley, Lafayette and Albany also were raided in
>connection with the dispensary bust, officials said.
>
>The dispensary's owners -- Winslow Norton, 26, of Lafayette and
>Abraham Norton, 23, of Oakland, who are brothers -- were arrested
>and held without bail in connection with the raid.
>
>A federal grand jury indicted the Norton brothers for conspiracy to
>distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, maintaining
>drug-involved premises, conspiracy to launder money and money
>laundering, according to a press release from the Department of
>Justice.
>
>In the raid, agents reportedly seized several hundred pounds of
>marijuana, packaging materials and about $200,000 in cash. Several
>vehicles including two late-model Mercedes cars and a Ford F-250
>pickup, three motorcycles, two bank accounts, two IRAs, a home in
>Lafayette and acommercial building in Albany also were seized.
>
>The DEA and IRS began investigating the Nortons' dispensary about a
>year ago. The dispensary Advertisement generated sales of more than
>$74,000 in 2004, $1.3 million in 2005, $21.5 million in 2006 and
>$26.3 million through June 2007,(wow) according to the Department of
>Justice.
>
>The drug conspiracy count has a statutory maximum term of
>imprisonment of 40 years and a minimum of five years, along with a
>$2 million fine and at least five years of supervised release.
>
>Bob Swanson, constituent liaison to Alameda County Supervisor Nate
>Miley, said he was on the scene observing the raid and would be
>reporting back to the county Board of Supervisors.
>
>"This is a federal raid based on federal law. It's truly unfortunate
>that the DEA feels they have to come in and waste taxpayer dollars
>to keep medical marijuana from patients.
>
>"As far as we know, (Winslow and Abraham Norton) were operating
>within the (county) ordinance and within state law," Swanson said.
>
>Two other permitted marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated Alameda
>County were not raided Tuesday, Swanson said.
>
>A DEA van and sheriff's patrol cars were parked in front of the
>dispensary for much of the day Tuesday as agents searched the
>building. Agents had gone in through a window, leaving shattered
>glass on the sidewalk. Sheriff's deputies kept a crowd of more than
>a dozen protesters behind a police line.
>
>Oakland resident Sonnet Seborg-Gabbard, 24, a member of the medical
>marijuana advocacy group Americans For Safe Access, arrived on the
>scene after members of her group were alerted to the raid.
>
>"We've alerted all of our patients," she said. "We're here to show
>support for the operators."
>
>Seborg-Gabbard handed out signs in English and Spanish to the
>gathering crowd. Patients of the clinic held up signs that said,
>"We're patients. We are not criminals."
>
>Charles Matthews, 21, a patient from Alameda, said he uses marijuana
>for back pain and migraines. "We're not criminals," Matthews said.
>
>Adam Haselben, 21, of San Jose said he suffers from severe headaches.
>
>"This is the best pharmacy around. It has the highest-quality
>medicine at the most compassionate prices."
>
>Americans For Safe Access spokesman Kris Hermes said his
>organization has tracked 46 DEA raids of medical marijuana
>dispensaries this year. He said there were 20 raids last year.
>
>"This facility was permitted by Alameda County," Hermes said. "The
>DEA is intent on undermining local and state law."
>
>In 2005, The Daily Review reported that Winslow Norton was arrested
>with his girlfriend in Mendocino County in April of that year on
>suspicion of transporting 40 pounds of marijuana. Norton apparently
>had told Mendocino County deputies that he was transporting the
>marijuana to the Compassionate Cooperative of Alameda County.
>
>Norton's father, Michael Norton, tried to post their bail but had
>$150,000 seized by Mendocino County deputies.
>
>In March 2001, Michael Norton of Berkeley was sentenced to 21/2
>years in federal prison for wire fraud and tax evasion in connection
>with a coffee importation business, according to FDA Consumer
>Magazine. Apparently, Michael Norton was mixing coffee imported from
>Central America with Kona coffee and falsely labeling it as 100
>percent Kona coffee, which costs more.
Wed, 31 Oct 2007
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c.../BAGVLT3T40.DTL
Copyright: 2007 Hearst Communications Inc.
Author: Henry K. Lee
HAYWARD - MEDICAL-POT BROTHERS HELD ON DRUG CHARGES
Two East Bay brothers were arrested Tuesday after being indicted by a
federal grand jury on charges that they ran a large-scale drug
operation from a Hayward medical marijuana club from which proceeds
were delivered to a bank by armored car, authorities said.
Winslow Norton, 26, of Lafayette and his brother, Abraham Norton, 23,
of Oakland, who together ran the Compassionate Patients' Cooperative
on the 21000 block of Mission Boulevard in Hayward, were taken into
custody during raids by the Drug Enforcement Administration and other
law enforcement agencies. They are being held without bail.
The Norton brothers were indicted on charges of conspiracy to
distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana, distribution of
marijuana, maintaining drug-involved premises, conspiracy to launder
money, and money laundering.
The brothers used drug proceeds to purchase luxury items and
properties, including two new Mercedes-Benzes, a new Ford F-250
truck, three new motorcycles, a home in Lafayette and a commercial
building in Albany. Both Mercedeses were seized, as well as the two
buildings.
--
Dale Gieringer, Director - California NORML, 2215-R Market St. #278,
San Francisco CA 94114 -(415) 563- 5858 - www.canorml.org
