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News about the legal Washington State industry & public concerns.

Despite Legalization, Eastern Wash. Family Charged With Marijuana Cultivation

Even though marijuana has been legalized in Washington State, that hasn’t prevented a Kettle Falls-area family from being charged in Federal court with marijuana manufacturing charges.

Federal DEA agents raided the rural property of 70 year old Larry Harvey and his 55 year old wife Rhonda Firestack-Harvey in August of 2012 and seized 44 immature marijuana plants.

The other family members were also charged in the case. All had state authorization to use pot for medicinal purposes.

Kris Hermes of the marijuana advocacy group Americans For Safe Access says the raid came after federal memorandums were issued, that said the government would not crack down on marijuana patients.

Hermes: “There have been 3 memorandums that have come out of the justice department since Obama took office. And in it there were a set of guidelines that they expect producers and distributors to follow. But they made clear in that memo that are not interested in targeting individual patents, but that is exactly what is happening here.”

Hermes says patients who are prosecuted in Federal court do not have the option to claim medical necessity, or by claiming to be in compliance with state marijuana law. The family will attend a pre trial hearing in Spokane on Tuesday. The hearing has been set for May 12th in federal court.

The prosecutor’s office is seeking a ten year mandatory minimum sentence in connection with the case.

Steve was part of the Spokane Public Radio family for many years before he came on air in 1999. His wife, Laurie, produced Radio Ethiopia in the late 1980s through the '90s, and Steve used to “lurk in the shadowy world” of Weekend SPR. Steve has done various on air shifts at the station, including nearly 15 years as the local Morning Edition host. Currently, he is the voice of local weather and news during All Things Considerd, writing, editing, producing and/or delivering newscasts and features for both KPBX and KSFC. Aside from SPR, Steve ,who lives in the country, enjoys gardening, chickens, playing and listening to music, astronomy, photography, sports cars and camping.