Calaveras Co./Family faces property loss following bust

CALAVERAS ENTERPRISE-- http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/
Feb. 18, 2005

Family faces property loss following bust
By Craig Koscho

A Calaveras County family faces the loss of their property following a
Sept. 28, 2004 marijuana raid on their land.

The District Attorney's office has filed charges of planting and
harvesting, possession for sale, and transportation of marijuana against
Wesley Robert Crosiar Sr. 52; Wesley Rudolf Crosiar Jr., 30; and David
Christopher Crosiar, 21.

They are scheduled to be arraigned in Dept. 2 of Calaveras County Superior
Court at 2 p.m., March 8.

Sheriff's deputies confiscated about 137 plants from their property on
Hawver Road near San Andreas, and reported the matter to federal
authorities who have begun forfeiture proceedings against the family.

The three men had several doctor recommendations for medical marijuana,
sheriff's Lt. Jim Macedo said.

Such recommendations are legal under California's Proposition 215.

Calaveras County guidelines allow up to six growing plants and two pounds
of processed marijuana per recommendation.

Macedo said there was strong evidence the marijuana was not being solely
used for medical purposes.

Angels Camp resident David Jack, who helped draft the county guidelines
about five years ago, said he was particularly concerned about the federal
proceedings to seize the Crosiar's property.

The family was not notified of the charges against them, which were just
recently filed, Jack said.

"However, the forfeiture was going on before that," he added.

While such cases are considered on an individual basis, Macedo said it was
decided in this instance to notify federal authorities.

"This isn't something we selectively did to target any one person or group
of individuals," Macedo said.

Contact Craig Koscho at ckoscho [at] calaverasenterprise.com