Pubdate: Fri, 12 Nov 2010 Source: Public Opinion (Chambersburg, PA) Copyright: 2010 Public Opinion Website: http://www.publicopiniononline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3355 Author: Vicky Taylor JAIL TIME GIVEN FOR 'RELIGIOUS-BASED' MARIJUANA FRANKLIN COUNTY - A woman accused of tending an allegedly religion-based marijuana crop in Fannettsburg last winter was given local jail time for her part in the operation. Karen L. Sheaffer, 47, Carlisle, was sentenced Wednesday to nine to 23 months in Franklin County Jail by Judge Shawn Meyers. Her three co-defendants -- Robert G. Henry, Carl Goshorn and Cynthia Ritchie -- are scheduled to go to trial in January. Henry, 50, Fannettsburg, is accused of directing the pot-growing operation from his Cumberland County jail cell last winter. He gained notoriety three years ago when he claimed his marijuana possession and use was part of a religious practice. He claimed to be an ordained minister and a member of the Hawaii Cannabis Ministry. Henry was on trial in Cumberland County at the time for possession of a large amount of marijuana. He was convicted, then appealed. He went to jail in September 2009 and was paroled June 11. The next day, he posted $100,000 bail in Franklin County because he had been charged in March with two counts each of felony possession of a controlled substance with the intent to deliver, and conspiracy to deliver illegal drugs. He also faced two misdemeanor drug possession charges. The charges were filed March 2 as the result of a two-month investigation into pot-growing activity at an abandoned Fannettsburg-area trailer last winter. At the same time, Sheaffer was charged with two counts each of manufacture, delivery, and possession of an illegal drug with the intent to deliver and criminal conspiracy; and two counts of misdemeanor use or possession of drug paraphernalia. She pleaded guilty to one of the felony possession with the intent to deliver charges on Aug. 20. In April, Ritchie, 56, Fannettsburg, was charged with felony drug and conspiracy charges and a misdemeanor pot possession charge. In May, Goshorn, 46, Fannettsburg, was charged with two counts of felony manufacture/delivery/possession of an illegal drug, three counts of felony criminal conspiracy and three counts of the use and/or possession of drug paraphernalia. According to authorities, Henry allegedly left his plants in the care of Goshorn and the two women when he reported to jail in Cumberland County in September 2009. The women were allegedly taking care of the plants located in Henry's Fannettsburg mobile home. Goshorn was supposed to be keeping an eye on the women to make sure they were following Henry's orders, issued through letters and telephone calls from the prison. Police first became aware of the pot-growing operation in January after being tipped off by an informant who had noticed unusual activity at what was supposed to be an abandoned trailer near Fannettsburg. According to police, state police troopers, the Pennsylvania State Police vice unit and Franklin County Drug Task Force raided the trailer and a residence on Redwood Drive in Fannettsburg. They allegedly discovered hundreds of live pot plants, drug paraphernalia and growing materials at the trailer and marijuana plants and paraphernalia at the Redwood Drive residence. Henry, Goshorn and Ritchie have pleaded not guilty to the charges. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt