By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A case in which a 33-year-old man confessed to police he was growing marijuana for a Seattle dispensary inside a Centralia building owned by his mother ended today with a 30-day sentence.
Anh Tuan Hoang Nguyen struck a deal with prosecutors in which they dropped a charge of manufacture of marijuana and he pleaded guilty instead to felony possession of marijuana. The agreement included dismissing the charge against his mother.
Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Paul Masiello said the only difference between the penalties for the two offenses was the opportunity to serve the time on electronic home monitoring.
Charging documents in the case indicate the investigation by detectives with the Lewis County Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team began on April 20, following up on tips from citizens about the building described only as on Tower Avenue in Centralia – with recently darkened windows.
More than 100 plants were found inside, according to Masiello.
Seattle attorney Andrew Nguyen told the judge his client had been cooperative. Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt agreed with the recommendations.
The defendant, who lives in Auburn, was ordered to begin electronic home monitoring by no later than Jan. 3.
•••
For background, read “Pot in Centralia: A growing underground industry” from Friday July 29, 2016, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
How is being related to his attorney a conflict of interest?
A couple of things, Was this man related to his attorney? If so major conflict of interest!!!! And two what a bunch of bullshit. If the guy was growing marijuana its no big deal! You can go buy marijuana like its liquor now. I dont think he did anything wrong. Who cares how many plants he had.
How precisely does one “manufacture” marijuana?? 😛 LCSO needs to update their verbiage evidently. It is called a “grow op” for a reason …
Why is Lewis County courts treating these criminals like there in grade school. Toughen -up Lewis County.