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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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US: Edible Marijuana Maker To Surrender On Thursday
Bay City News
Wednesday 03 Oct 2007 Edible medical marijuana producer Michael Martin will turn himself over to federal authorities Thursday in response to an arrest warrant, officials from Oakland-based Americans for Safe Access said today. Officials from the San Francisco office of the Drug Enforcement Administration labeled Martin a fugitive last week when they raided Tainted Inc. in Oakland and arrested three employees but couldn't locate Martin, 33, who lives in El Sobrante. Kris Hermes of Americans for Safe Access said today that Martin wasn't a fugitive but simply was out of town on vacation last week. However, DEA spokeswoman Casey McEnry said her agency still considers Martin to be a fugitive because an arrest warrant was issued last week and her agency hasn't been able to locate him. Hermes said Martin, his attorney and supporters will hold a rally at the federal building in Oakland at 9 a.m. Thursday. Martin and his attorney will then go to San Francisco, where Martin will turn himself in and have his initial appearance in federal court there, Hermes said. Martin and the three other defendants in the case are charged with conspiracy to manufacture or distribute controlled substances. McEnry said the DEA began investigating Tainted Inc. two years ago when it received information that it was manufacturing marijuana-laced candy bars and Martin was the owner. According to the criminal complaint, Tainted began as a small operation, which initially cooked marijuana leaves in butter and made chocolate truffles, but expanded into an enterprise that supplied marijuana-laced candies to cannabis clubs in the Bay Area, Seattle, Vancouver and Amsterdam. Jessica Sanders, 30, of San Leandro and Oakland residents Michael Anderson, 42, and Diallo McLinn, 35, appeared in federal court last Thursday and were released on bail. According to the DEA, Anderson was a manager at Tainted and Anderson and McLinn were couriers. Americans for Safe Access officials said in a news release that Tainted provides clearly labeled baked goods and other marijuana edibles to medical cannabis patients and collectives all over California. The group said, "Edible cannabis products are an alternative to smoking cannabis and are preferred by many patients. The products made by Tainted Inc. are available only through medical cannabis dispensaries and carry prominent warning labels." In a letter released by Americans for Safe Access, Martin said, "I believe truly in my heart that I have committed no crime" but that he will turn himself in voluntarily. He said, "I am obviously frightened, but also confident that the truth will be brought to light and we, as a society, will learn a valuable lesson somewhere in all this madness."
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