Aug 8, 2011 12:19pm
http://www.necn.com/08/08/11/Whitefish-man-charged-after-medical-mari/landing_nation.html?&apID=1eec9352da0644eaa5cb18ca3a7958e1
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A 35-year-old Whitefish man faces federal drug and money laundering charges after raids of medical marijuana businesses, making him the 11th person indicted in a crackdown on providers.
The U.S. attorney's office says Ryan Gifford Blindheim pleaded not guilty on Aug. 2 to charges of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and four money laundering charges. He was arraigned before U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy and released with conditions.
The indictment against Blindheim is part of an ongoing investigation of alleged illegal marijuana distribution in Montana. Blindheim has told The Daily Inter Lake that he owned the Black Pearl dispensary in Olney, one of 26 across the state that were raided in mid-March. He said the raid put him out of business.