Oregon Man Sentenced to 16 Months for Home Marijuana

[PFlynn]

CORVALLIS, Ore. - A man arrested for an indoor marijuana growing operation after a county worker smelled the illegal plant on a tax payment has been sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Eric Brian Michaelis, 37, also agreed to forfeit more than $65,000 in cash seized after Benton County sheriff's deputies found 230 marijuana plants inside his home in November.

Deputies found almost every room in the house filled with marijuana plants, from seedlings to bushes that were 4 feet tall. The operation included a back-up generator to power the grow lamps in case the electricity went out.

The investigation started when a Benton County tax clerk noticed that the $600 in cash that Michaelis used to pay his taxes smelled like marijuana.

"It's safe to say that it's at least the biggest indoor marijuana bust in the last 10 years," said Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Stringer.

Source: Kgw News
Copyright: 2008 Kgw News
Contact: Home | kgw.com | News for Oregon and SW Washington
Website: Home | kgw.com | News for Oregon and SW Washington

 

[Matanuska Valley]

The investigation started when a Benton County tax clerk noticed that the $600 in cash that Michaelis used to pay his taxes smelled like marijuana.

"It's safe to say that it's at least the biggest indoor marijuana bust in the last 10 years," said Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Stringer.

Something smells all right and it ain't the money...

MV...

 

[Rocky Balboa]

He's lucky he only got 16 months for that. He will probably only do 10-12 max.

 

[tonystarks]

I cant believe that this was all because of cash smelling like weed.......sounds fishy to me

 

[Rocky Balboa]

Ya I got to thinking that myself. Something is up there for sure. Smelling pot on money should not lead to any kind of arrest. The guy was tipped off by someone.

 

[Boss]

Someone tried to get in on the action and was snubbed.