Grand jury clears three in medical pot grow probe

By Paul Shockley
Friday, June 25, 2010

A Mesa County grand jury has declined to bring charges against three people investigated for a medical marijuana grow operation that was targeted by authorities in March, according to court files made public this afternoon.

The grand jury returned no indictments on counts of cultivation of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and distribution of marijuana, against Cristin and Brian Groves, and Sid Squirrell, all owners of a medical marijuana dispensary, Naturals, A Wellness Center.

Squirrell, who is also a commercial Realtor with Bray & Company, leases a building at 573 W. Crete Circle, where Western Colorado Drug Task Force officers in March found 1,080 marijuana plants. Authorities said they sought a search warrant toward determining whether that volume could be justified by the 308 medical marijuana registry cards found at the facility.

“My client has always intended to stay within the law, and he was advised by his (prior) attorney he was operating within the law,” said Stephen Laiche, who represents Squirrell.

Laiche said Squirrell testified before the grand jury on June 17.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Dan Rubinstein, one of two prosecutors who presented evidence to the grand jury, declined comment this afternoon.

Read more in Saturday’s Daily Sentinel.