Press Play with Madeleine Brand

California friends imprisoned for pot dispensary, seek clemency

President Obama has granted clemency to more than 1300 people. A pair of friends in Modesto hope to get on that list. In 2004, Luke Scarmazzo and Ricardo Montes opened a pot dispensary. Cash poured in, and they paid themselves $13,000 each per month.

By Madeleine Brand • Dec 20, 2016 • 1 min read

President Obama has granted clemency to more than 1300 people. A pair of friends in Modesto hope to get on that list. In 2004, Luke Scarmazzo and Ricardo Montes opened a pot dispensary. Cash poured in, and they paid themselves $13,000 each per month. One of them even posted a music video on YouTube, bragging about his money and flipping off the feds. Then the feds showed up. The friends were found guilty of running a criminal enterprise and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Madeleine Brand
Host, 'Press Play'
Sarah Sweeney
Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW
Anna Scott
Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter
Jolie Myers
Managing Producer, 'Press Play'
Peter Hecht
Author of "Weed Land", Senior Writer at Sacramento Bee

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Press Play with Madeleine Brand

California friends imprisoned for pot dispensary, seek clemency

President Obama has granted clemency to more than 1300 people. A pair of friends in Modesto hope to get on that list. In 2004, Luke Scarmazzo and Ricardo Montes opened a pot dispensary. Cash poured in, and they paid themselves $13,000 each per month.

Share

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

California friends imprisoned for pot dispensary, seek clemency

President Obama has granted clemency to more than 1300 people. A pair of friends in Modesto hope to get on that list. In 2004, Luke Scarmazzo and Ricardo Montes opened a pot dispensary. Cash poured in, and they paid themselves $13,000 each per month.

Share