Pubdate: Tue, 24 Jul 2001
Source: Tahoe Daily Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2001 Tahoe-Carson Area Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/443
Website: http://www.tahoe.com/tribune/
Author: Gregory Crofton
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1088/a09.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

COURT DATE SET FOR POT ADVOCATE

A South Shore man charged with transporting a quarter-pound of marijuana
by U.S. Mail is expected in court for trial Oct. 16. 

Macosko, 28, was arrested in April after mailing a package containing
marijuana to Kentucky. The package was not picked up in Kentucky and was
returned to South Lake Tahoe where Macosko retrieved it from the post
office at Al Tahoe Boulevard, police said. 

SLEDNET, South Shore's multiagency drug enforcement team, and South Lake
Tahoe police stopped and arrested Macosko after he drove away with the
package in his car. 

On Monday, in El Dorado County Superior Court, Macosko plead not guilty
to two felony counts of drug transportation, one felony count of
possession for sale and driving under the influence of marijuana. 

If convicted on all charges he could be sentenced to a maximum of five
years and eight months in jail. 

Macosko freely admits to mailing the drugs to 35-year-old Dean
Criscitello in Kentucky. He said he mailed marijuana to Criscitello as
medicine. Criscitello suffers from chronic pain because of a plastic hip
and metal rods in his back and leg, Macosko said. 

In April, Criscitello was on tour with the rock band Godsmack, working
as a chef. SLEDNET Officer Brian Johnson said in court during a
preliminary hearing that Macosko told South Lake Tahoe police he was
providing marijuana to the band to help them get off heroin. Macosko
denies making that statement. 

Criscitello said he was fired by the band on June 15 because Macosko's
case led to an investigation of Godsmack by the Scottish DEA. 

Macosko is being defended by Jordan Morgenstern, a South Shore attorney.
Macosko is clearly anxious to go to trial. 

"I'm ready to come and explain care giving to a town that hasn't
addressed the law that's 5 years old, " Macosko said. "Someone is going
to have to do it sometime." 

The law Macosko spoke of is Proposition 215, a bill that passed in 1996
and allows residents to consume marijuana as medicine with a valid
doctor's recommendation.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk