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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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While the Genesee County Elections Office scrutinized the 7/28/2017 fundraiser they missed several inconsistencies. While the summary page read "Committee to re-elect Herbert J. Winfrey", Pages 1 through 3 were typed "Committee to re-elect John Smith"
Bernard Lawler, who now lives in Grand Blanc, was not included in the $2850 raised in the event.
There were 20 attendees, however no address and the name of the place where the event was held was blank. Also the cost of the fundraiser was zero. Of the 20 only nine donated. One gave $100, one gave $1,000 and others gave $250. It was odd how many were involved in the marijuana business.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Sat May 04, 2019 12:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Sat May 04, 2019 11:25 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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FLINT
'EBT Queen,' two others accused of cheating government out of 'tens of thousands' of dollars in food stamp fraud
Updated Jul 11, 2012; Posted Jul 11, 2012
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By David Harris | dharris5@mlive.com
chips.jpgRyan Garza | MLive.comThe owner of Chip's Supper Club is accused of fraudulently using food stamps.
GENESEE COUNTY, MI -- Dubbing herself the 'EBT queen,' a 54-year-old Flint woman along with two Flint men bilked the government out of "tens of thousands of dollars" in a food stamp fraud scheme, officials said.
The business owners were illegally using EBT cards to buy food for their restaurants and catering businesses between August 2010 and March 2011, said Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton. Paul Verdun, 63, Reginald Clements, 51 and Beverly Biggs-Leavy, 54, all of Flint, are
charged
with food stamp fraud over $1,000.
They face up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
"The honest individuals who rightfully have bridge cards and need them are really the ones who are suffering when this activity occurs," said Leyton. "In this county, this prosecutor will not tolerate it."
According to prosecutors, Biggs-Levy would pay EBT card users pennies on the dollar to be able to use their cards to buy large quantities of food for her catering business.
While investigating Biggs-Levy, investigators found Verdun and Clements were doing similar acts for their businesses, Chip's Shrimp and Fish in Flint and Chip's Supper Club in Burton. Verdun and Clements were in business with each other and knew Biggs-Levy, officials said.
They used 40 individual's cards to buy the food at such stores as Sam's Club, Gordon's Food Service and Kroger's, Leyton said. The people who allowed their cards to be used also may face charges, Leyton said.
The Office of Inspector General investigated the case.
"There is more to come on this investigation," said Al Kimichik, director of the OIG. "There are multiple defendants and many more dollars involved than what is being announced today."
Authorities came on to Biggs-Leavy when she called the OIG using a fake name to complain that some of the cards she was using were stolen, said Craig Carlton, regulation agent for the OIG.
There are about 1.8 million people statewide who use about $126 million in aid, Kimichik said. The number of people who are receiving cash assistance has increased over the last few years and so has the potential for fraud, he said.
There are 10 agents statewide solely dedicated to investigating food stamp trafficking, Kimichik said.
"Whatever abuse is out there, we are coming after you," Kimichik said |
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Sat May 04, 2019 11:39 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Reginald Clement donated $250.at the fundraiser He was arraigned on multiple charges . Circuit Court sent the case back to 67th District Court. Lansing got restitution, court costs were paid and the charges were reduced . |
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Sat May 04, 2019 11:40 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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FLINT
Over 850 marijuana plants at growing facilities lead to state charges
Updated Sep 13, 2017; Posted Sep 13, 2017
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By Oona Goodin-Smith | ogoodins@mlive.com
FLINT, MI - Two Flint marijuana growing facility operators have pleaded to drug-related charges after state attorneys say they were illegally in possession of over 850 marijuana plants.
Their attorneys, however, say the charges highlight the "grey area" in state's medical marijuana laws.
After police raided the two medical grow facilities on North and South Saginaw streets in Flint in February 2016, State Attorney General Bill Schuette charged Gary Metzger, 66, and Troy Hall, 50, with nine counts each, including:
-Racketeering
-Two counts of possession with intent to deliver 45 kilograms of marijuana
-Four counts of conspiracy
-Two counts of possession with intent to distribute marijuana
The pair - both currently free on joint $90,000 personal recognizance bonds - originally faced up to 20 years in prison, each.
However, in a plea agreement on Sept. 6, 2017, state prosecutors agreed to dismiss nine of the drug-related charges if Metzger and Hall each pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of maintaining a drug house at sentencing before Genesee County Chief Judge Richard B. Yuille in November.
The misdemeanor charges carry a maximum penalty of up to two years in prison or a $25,000 fine.
In a 2016 search of the South Saginaw street location on a tip, police found Hall with a key to the building containing 383 plants and 25 pounds of processed marijuana, according to court records.
false
What a change in direction on federal marijuana policy could mean for Michigan
Michigan legalized medical marijuana in 2008 and could see recreational legalization on the ballot in 2018.
Hall, a medical marijuana caregiver, told authorities his patients had medical marijuana cards, but he was unable to produce them to authorities and was arrested.
After Hall told them he was in a business partnership with Metzger, a fellow caregiver, police proceeded to search the North Saginaw street location, finding 458 plants and 55 pounds of processed marijuana, according to court records. Staking out the site, they watched as Metzger, who had the key to the North Saginaw location, picked up a U-Haul truck, driving it from an area U-Haul store back to the building on North Saginaw.
Stopping the truck, police found marijuana in the vehicle's passenger compartment, arrested Metzger, and located 37 marijuana plants and 10 pounds of processed marijuana in the back of the U-Haul.
The men were charged after authorities determined they possessed amounts of marijuana well over limits specified by the Medical Marijuana Act and in violation of public health code, records show.
Enacted in 2008, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act allows primary caregivers to grow up to 12 marijuana plants for a patient, with a limit of five patients per caregiver.
But Hall's attorney, Kenneth Scott, argued that the guidelines for counting marijuana plants is unclear.
"You may think it's one plant in a pot, but if they pull it up and the roots are separate, it's suddenly two plants in a pot and you're in violation of the law," Scott said.
Scott also argued that his client was unfairly searched and believed he was in compliance with the law, explaining that Fourth Amendment search and seizure rights conflict with laws pertaining to marijuana.
"I believe my client is law-abiding and intended to follow the law," said attorney Kenneth Scott on behalf of Hall. "But if you read the marijuana statute, it's incredibly unclear ... Normally, if an officer knocks on your door, you have the right to request them to show a warrant. But if they ask if you're complying with the medical marijuana law, what do you do? There needs to be much more discussion on this legislation."
Scott explained that the men truly believed they were in compliance with the law, but because they possessed keys to the building containing the plants and could not produce all documentation, were charged for possession of the hundreds of marijuana plants.
A spokesperson for Schuette's office could not be reached for comment.
Attorney Frank J. Manley, who represents Metzger in the case, echoed Scott's sentiments on the fuzziness of Michigan's marijuana law.
"Marijuana is likely to be legal in the near future and this point would be moot," Manley said, calling Metzger - a former heating and cooling business owner - a "successful businessman."
"We're hoping that courts in the near future examine these laws so that these grey areas do not exist," Manley said.
false
State medical marijuana board signals intent to shut down all dispensaries
They plan to make a final decision at their next meeting.
Michigan is one of 29 states that have passed measures fully legalizing or decriminalizing medical marijuana, with petitions currently circulating in attempts to place the vote over recreational marijuana on the 2018 ballot.
In late August, the state's Medical Marijuana Licensing Board suggested all currently operating dispensaries would need to cease operation if they wanted to be eligible for licenses in the future.  |
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Sat May 04, 2019 12:26 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Metzger donated $250 and Toy Hall donated $100. |
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Sat May 04, 2019 1:25 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Vincent Peek of Davison, is the owner of the Green Bean Cannabis Dispensary on !625 West Atherton Peek donated $1,000.
FLINT
Flint marijuana dispensaries get back in business after crackdown
Updated May 15, 2015; Posted May 15, 2015
By Ron Fonger | rfonger1@mlive.com
FLINT, MI -- The city has given three dispensaries the green light to fill orders from medical marijuana patients, the first businesses approved to return to the marketplace since a crackdown late last month.
Flint Director of Planning Megan Hunter said Friday, May 15, that three businesses -- Green Bean West, 1625 W. Atherton Road; Sweet Leaf, 400 S. Dort Highway; and Green Culture, 808 S. Center Road -- were cleared to open this week.
Representatives of the three dispensaries announced the achievement in a news release and scheduled a news conference.
Although 14 marijuana dispensaries have been through the city's site plan review process, all were ordered to shut down by the city late last month after officials claimed they had problems ranging from overdue taxes to building and fire code violations.
"This is a (day for) celebrating the end of a long process," said Rick Thompson, a member of the Michigan chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. "The main thing is, the city is to be congratulated for doing this.
"The industry is willing to leap through these hoops as long as we know" what they are, Thompson said.
Just four weeks ago, Flint Police Chief James Tolbert said the city was drawing a line in the sand with dispensaries, some of which also cultivate marijuana, because many appeared to be operating in violation of regulations.
Hunter said many of the problems were related to modifications made in the buildings that house the businesses without approvals from the city as well as past-due debts to the city.
"Everyone is in a little bit of a different place" with licensing, Hunter said. "Some folks didn't complete (the process) after site plan review. Most of the issues have been with the buildings. You need to get right with the building code."
Four businesses are actively working with Flint building officials to gain their licenses, Hunter said.
"I think people have been used to the city not really doing enforcement," she said. "We reiterated a number of times, but I think people just thought they could operate with impunity."
Police and building officials took a fresh look at dispensaries after adoption of a new marijuana ordinance in Flint in 2014, ending a three-year moratorium on the businesses.
Although eight dispensaries were grandfathered and continued to operate, the city required the businesses to come into compliance with the new regulations.
The new ordinance mandates that dispensaries be more than 1,000 feet from any church, park, school or other dispensary. It also sets aside only a few small sections of the city in which the businesses can operate.
Ron Fonger is a reporter for MLive-Flint Journal. Contact him at rfonger1@mlive.com or 810-347-9963. Follow him |
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Sat May 04, 2019 2:18 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Todd Metzger $250
1260 E Hamilton The former storage building now boarded up
Business owner Industrial Automation Rochester Hills
17-042265 FH Judge Farah Atty Ken Scott
Todd Allen Metzger Goodrich
co defendants: John Booth James Desormeau
Charge: Control substance-del/mfg marijuana
David Leyton seeking enhanced sentencing
Judge Farah dismissed nolle prosequi for Metzger and Booth
Desormeau was not prosecuted
Arrest sheet and fingerprints to be destroyed
copy sent to MSP |
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Sun May 05, 2019 9:24 am |
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