The conviction last week of a Rangeley man on federal marijuana distribution, tax and bank fraud charges leaves some in the Maine cannabis industry worried that their legal, state-licensed operations could face similar scrutiny. However, prosecutors say that the multimillion-dollar business Lucas Sirois operated in the Farmington area broke state laws, as well as the federal laws he was found guilty of, and that growers and dispensaries that are in compliance have nothing to fear.
Still, the case revived disputes over how federal agencies test cannabis, a technical issue central to the Sirois' defense and one that spurred protests from some in the industry. The case is the final one related to the investigation into the Sirois operation, which became public with a series of raids in 2020, including at Narrow Gauge Distributors in Farmington.
It highlights the ongoing tension between Maine law, which regulates the growing and distribution of cannabis, and federal statute, under which those activities are still illegal.
Sirois and his father, Robert, were both found guilty on Tuesday November 18 of federal charges stemming from the operation, which prosecutors said moved thousands of kilograms of cannabis across New England and took in proceeds of more than $13 million.
Read more at centralmaine.com
