An Oklahoma Metropolis man has been sentenced to 9 years in federal jail for utilizing a pretend Amazon truck to move marijuana, in response to an Oklahoma Metropolis information launch. U.S. Division of Justice (Division of Justice). It is also reminder that whereas practically half of the U.S. states have a large business promoting marijuana for leisure use, individuals can nonetheless be jailed if caught smoking marijuana within the different half.
Brandon Ye, 43, drives a van that appears like an Amazon supply van and picks up vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana from licensed marijuana rising amenities throughout Oklahoma. In Homer, Maryland, medical marijuana is authorized, however leisure use is just not. From there, Ye would transfer the packages to a warehouse in Oklahoma earlier than transport them out of the state on the market, in response to the Justice Division.
In line with the U.S. Division of Justice, Ye helped transfer roughly 28 tons of marijuana out of Oklahoma earlier than his arrest in December 2022. Ye admitted to possessing marijuana with intent to distribute medication and to possessing a firearm whereas distributing medication. Although President Joe Biden is president of the USA, each of these items are nonetheless unlawful beneath federal legislation. working Reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug within the LSD and heroin classes to a Schedule III drug like ketamine.
Even after the Drug Enforcement Administration’s deliberate rescheduling, marijuana will nonetheless be thought-about a managed substance, and it is unclear how aggressively federal authorities will pursue the interstate drug commerce as Ye was sentenced to such a harsh sentence.
U.S. District Decide Scott L. Palk, who sentenced Ye on June 20, reportedly touted “Ye’s efforts to move giant quantities of marijuana in undercover operations.” Notably, the Justice Division by no means charged Ye with any act of violence. He merely moved lots of weed and carried a gun whereas doing it. Oklahoma gun legal guidelines enable anybody over the age of 21 to hold a gun with no allow, so the one purpose Ye was charged with carrying a gun was as a result of he was additionally transporting marijuana.
As we speak, People look again on the Prohibition period of the Nineteen Twenties and chuckle at how absurd it was for federal authorities to criminalize the possession of alcohol, regardless of how “giant.” With a bit of luck, future generations will look again on 2024 in the identical mild, given that almost all People already imagine in full legalization.
Because it stands, solely 10% of People imagine marijuana shouldn’t be authorized anyway pew analysis heart, 59% mentioned it needs to be authorized for medical and leisure use. However individuals like Ye might nonetheless spend practically a decade behind bars for shifting marijuana.