Legal News

Delayed sentencing in pot case, with judge suggesting defendant may get off easy

By Richard Binder

A federal judge in Los Angeles yesterday postponed sentencing until June for Charles Lynch, the former owner of a Central Coast marijuana dispensary.

Despite having the blessing of the city's mayor and other public officials, he was charged with violating federal drug laws for distributing marijuana and was convicted by a federal court jury in Los Angeles last year. But U.S. District Judge George H. Wu said he was inclined to impose a more lenient sentence than the five years required by federal sentencing guidelines, even while questioning whether he had the authority to do so.

Prosecutors said Lynch sold $2.1 million worth of marijuana for profit. The next hearing in the case, which the judge said would be the last, is scheduled for June 11.

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Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on April 24, 2009 (boomark / email).