FEDS ESCALATE WAR ON ACTIVISTS PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE DrugSense FOCUS Alert #315 - Tue, 16 August 2005 It is becoming increasingly clear that the federal government is seeking to silence marijuana activists in every way possible. When it appears that a medical marijuana activist may walk under state laws, the feds step in. Fred Gardner's column "Feds Takeover Prosecution of Dustin Costa" discusses a good example. Please read the column for details: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n1327.a10.html You would not know the full story without reading Mr. Gardner's column by reading the article, below, from the Merced Sun-Star. Please send a letter to the editor to the Sun-Star focusing on the full story. Also please consider writing about this issue to the other newspapers in the valley from Bakersfield to Sacramento. Here is a list of major newspapers with the contacts for letters: Bakersfield Californian Contact: Fresno Bee Contact: Lodi News-Sentinel Contact: Modesto Bee Contact: Sacramento Bee Contact: Pubdate: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 Source: Merced Sun-Star (CA) Copyright: 2005 Merced Sun-Star Contact: Website: http://www.mercedsun-star.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2546 Author: Mike De La Cruz MARIJUANA SUSPECT'S HEARING SET FRESNO -- A 58-year-old Winton man indicted by a federal grand jury on marijuana-growing charges is awaiting a hearing in federal court. Dustin Robert Costa, also known as the Rev. D.C. Greenhouse, was arrested recently on federal charges of cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in connection with drug trafficking offenses. A detention hearing is scheduled Wednesday for Costa in Fresno Federal District Court and a status conference is scheduled for Aug. 22, said Assistant United States Attorney Karen Escobar, who is prosecuting the case. Court documents indicate Costa reportedly was growing marijuana at his Winton residence in early 2004. Merced County Multi-Agency Narcotics Task Force agents reportedly found 908 growing marijuana plants and 8.8 pounds of processed marijuana at his home. According to his Web site, Costa is a cannabis patient and a caregiver to patients. United States Attorney McGregor Scott said that although California voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996, which legalizes marijuana for medical use, marijuana remains an illegal drug under federal law, as affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court last June. Escobar said Costa faces a mandatory-minimum five years or a maximum of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $2,000 for each drug charge. For the gun charge, Costa is facing a mandatory consecutive term of five years. Costa remains in custody at the Fresno County Jail, Escobar said. "Costa has been flaunting the law for months now under the guise of Proposition 215," Merced County Sheriff Mark Pazin said. "What Costa has done is take the original intent of medical marijuana and has used it for his own agenda." Thanks for your effort and support. It's not what others do - it's what YOU do Additional suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center: http://www.mapinc.org/resource/#guides Or contact MAP Media Activism Facilitator Steve Heath for personal tips on how to write LTEs that get printed. Future media activism sessions in the DrugSense Virtual Conference Room are announced at http://www.mapinc.org/resource/pal_sched.php PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER Please post a copy of your letter or report your action to the sent letter list () if you are subscribed, or by E-mailing a copy directly to if you are not subscribed. Your letter will then be forwarded to the list so others may learn from your efforts. Subscribing to the Sent LTE list () will help you to review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or approaches as well as keeping others aware of your important writing efforts. To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form Prepared by: Richard Lake =.

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