SEQUIM — Sequim police raided the home of a marijuana grower and confiscated 62 plants, but it’s unclear what charges — if any — will be filed.
The two men interviewed after the raid claim protection under the state Medical Marijuana Act.
Clallam County prosecutors are now sorting out the details to determine whether the state law applies, voiding the raid made 1½ weeks ago.
In statements about the case, Sequim police outlined a “sophisticated marijuana growing operation” they said was set up to distribute the drug illegally while using the medical marijuana label as a shield.
But Brian Rickard, the man who lives at the house with his elderly mother and grows the marijuana, said Tuesday that the pot he grows is solely for medicinal purposes.
While he admits making a couple of mistakes in how he’s run his operation so far, he insists the mistakes don’t make his actions illegal — and, he added, the relevant state law is full of “gray areas” that make it hard to define what’s legal or not.
“I’m not a criminal,” he said, noting that he and all the people who use the marijuana he grows have serious, chronic medical conditions.
“Don’t make us outlaws.”
Search warrant
On April 23, Sequim police and Clallam County sheriff’s deputies served a search warrant at Rickard’s house north of Sequim. They seized the plants and two pounds of processed marijuana as well as some of Rickard’s growing equipment.
Rickard said they also took several of his hand-carved flutes, which police described as potential smoking pipes.
Police received information about the house after a traffic stop in Sequim in which marijuana was found in the car.
Rickard acknowledged Tuesday that he had provided marijuana to someone he shouldn’t have, but said he thought it was OK because the man offered medical marijuana documentation from another state — a mistake he said he will not make again.
Officers interviewed Rickard and another man and read them their constitutional rights, but did not arrest them or take them into custody.
Up to prosecutor’s office
It will be up to the Clallam County prosecutor’s office to determine what charges to file, said Sequim police Sgt. Sheri Crane.
The case hasn’t been transferred to the courthouse yet, she said, because officers are still gathering information.
