California, Fremont

[budman]

Article Last Updated: 7/16/2006 02:36 AM


Fremont City Council bans medical pot dispensaries

Officials cite crime incidents, federal law for closures

By Chris De Benedetti, STAFF WRITER
Inside Bay Area

FREMONT — City officials say they want to show compassion toward patients who use marijuana for medical reasons.

But crime woes experienced by pot dispensaries throughout Alameda County in recent years persuaded the City Council to ban them in Fremont last week.

The unanimous vote came about 2 ½ months before the city's moratorium on the establishment of dispensaries expires Sept. 28. No member of the public spoke against the city's position at the meeting.

"Robberies, drug dealings, burglaries, deaths — all kinds of problems have followed (dispensaries)," Fremont police Chief Craig Steckler said. "Just look into what has happened in Hayward, Berkeley and (unincorporated) Alameda County."

Recent serious crimes related to pot clubs include an incident in June 2005 in which a masked gunman at the Collective Cannabis Club in Cherryland opened fire on a dispensary employee's car. About a month later, six people were tied up in a Hayward pot club during an armed robbery, and two burglaries occurred at nearby dispensaries in October.

Dozens of marijuana clubs have opened across the Bay Area, with 13 operating in Alameda County, since state voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996.

The voter initiative allowed the seriously ill to use marijuana for medical reasons when recommended by a doctor. In addition, state legislators in 2003 established California's Medical Marijuana Program through Senate Bill 420, which set up a system for patients and caregivers to receive ID cards to protect them from arrest for possessing or using the drug.

But while nearly 25 cities and five counties statewide allow medical marijuana clubs, even cities such as San Francisco, where about 30 dispensaries operate, are starting to set limits.

Also citing neighbors' fear of crime, the San Francisco Planning Commission on Thursday rejected a pot club's bid to open near Fisherman's Wharf.

"One of the difficulties is that the laws were poorly written," Fremont Mayor Bob Wasserman said. "They invite misuse and invite ways to sell marijuana to anyone that wants it — not necessarily just to people with medical uses."

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Major marijuana bust

The Fremont Bulletin
October 7, 2006

On Oct. 2 at 11 p.m., officers were conducting a security check at a building on the 43000 block of Osgood Road.

Officers noticed two roll-up doors to the business were open, and a white van parked in front. The building's lights were also on, and officers noticed water condensation on the windows, reports state.

Officers decided to investigate, and heard noises from inside the building, as well as a strong odor of marijuana, police said.

Police found several men inside the building, with one loading a marijuana plant into the back of the van, police said.

The man allegedly ran into the rear of the building, and the others ran in several directions, police said.

One of the suspects used a ladder to climb on to the building's roof, and allegedly jumped off the roof on the southern side of the building.

Another suspect allegedly jumped off the roof on the north side of the building, getting caught in some razor wire on a fence that surrounds the building.

Another suspect ran into Tri-City Rock next door. Another suspect surrendered when police dogs were deployed.

A final suspect was found on the second floor of the building, police said.

According to police, the men had been growing marijuana in the building for several years. They were in the process of breaking down the indoor farm.

Police recovered approximately 200 plants, $13,000 in cash and 11 guns.

Officers ultimately arrested Antonio Doninelli, 28, of Oakland, Dutin Hammann, 28, of Oakland, Roy Kates, 27, of Richmond, and Joshua Rudy, 31, of Salt Lake City.

All of the suspects were charged with possession of marijuana.