Prominent Okemos Business Man Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison
Dennis Forsberg, a 59-year-old resident of Lansing, Michigan, and the owner of Forsberg Real Estate Co., was one of seven people recently sentenced to three years in federal prison for his role in a medical marijuana operation that was fully licensed and legal under Michigan Medical Marijuana Law.
The case, which was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Grand Rapids, began late in 2010 when federal agents, along with local law enforcement, raided several properties containing hundreds of marijuana plants that were part of a medical marijuana growing business venture.
The properties were raided after only six months in operation. Seven people were arrested and charged as a result of their differing roles in the operation. Forsberg pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to manufacture 100 plants or more, and the manufacture of 100 plants or more within 1,000 feet of a school. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison and ordered to pay a $15,000 fine. His involvement was as the owner of the properties that were used for the grow sites. He also provided money for start-up costs. His son, 32-year-old Lance Forsberg, was also sentenced to three years in prison.
The sentences for the other five defendants ranged from one day in prison for Douglas Frakes, who invested financially in the business venture, to four years in prison for Ryan Basore. Court documents say Basore was one of the leaders and organizers.
According to court records, three properties in Okemos were used as grow sites. Two of these were pole barns on Jolly Road, within view of Okemos High School. For this reason three defendants pleaded guilty to growing marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school.
James Brady, a Grand Rapids attorney, had this to say as part of a written statement he made on the current legal conflict between federal and state law:
“The state of Michigan websites dealing with medical marijuana carry no warnings that the growth of medical marijuana is still not allowed under federal law, and many people unfamiliar with the interrelationship of state and federal law have fallen into the trap of thinking state approval and licensing under the MMA had to mean that growing medical marijuana in compliance with the state law was safe to do. How could the state of Michigan issue licenses and collect fees purporting to allow and even encourage Michiganians to engage in conduct that exposed them to federal criminal prosecution? Such a thing would make no sense to most reasonable people.”
“We’re in the dying days here of marijuana prohibition, and someone like Dennis, who’s a grandfather, a lifelong professional and who’s never committed a crime in his life, is going to federal prison. It’s an atrocity.” said Daniel Grow, an attorney representing one of the defendants.
Many people agree with Attorney Grow, and feel that as a nation we are in the final days of marijuana prohibition. However, this does not change the current facts. While Michigan as a state has legalized marijuana for medical purposes, nothing has changed on the federal level. It is important for Michigan residents to know that Federal law trumps state law, and currently Federal law prohibits growing or possessing any amount of marijuana for any purposes.