Pubdate: Wed, 31 Mar 2010
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2010, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294

CONVICTED POT GROWER FORCED TO FORFEIT HIS HOUSE TO
AUTHORITIES

A convicted pot grower has been hit in the pocketbook after losing her
house to the Crown.

Kelly Dennison, 32, was sentenced last week to a two year conditional
sentence, which means she will serve her time in the community, after
being charged with production of a controlled substance and theft of
electricity following the Nov. 3, 2006, police raid on her property on
Pada Road in Oyama.

Police say a marijuana growing operation was in an outbuilding on the
rural property, and that all but 180 plants had been removed prior to
police arrival.

Police also seized growing equipment and 2.5 kilograms of marijuana
from another room in the building.

Const. Steve Holmes said a judge decided that the buildings and land
were offence-related property and ruled they should be forfeited to
the Crown.

The property was sold prior to Dennison's sentencing and the proceeds
are estimated at approximately $157,000.

"The forfeiture of offence-related property is a judicial measure
available on conviction that can effectively 'hit criminals in the
pocketbook,' exacting an economic accounting for financially lucrative
crimes such as drug trafficking, in addition to more traditional forms
of sentencing," said Holmes. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D