Three charged at marijuana dispensary

Staffers at a Handy Township medical marijuana dispensary distributed their product to a "patient" not assigned to them under the law, according to an affidavit released Wednesday.

As a result, the Livingston County prosecutor's office has charged Marshall Alternatives owners Alan Marshall, 39, and Christi Marshall, 37, with delivery of marijuana. Alan Marshall, who faces two counts, is charged as a habitual offender, which means he faces up to eight years in prison if convicted as charged. His wife faces up to four years.

Dispensary employee Stephanie Lynn Baxter, 30, also has been charged with two counts of delivery of marijuana.

The three, who are card-carrying caregivers, are expected to turn themselves in for arraignment, which had not occurred Wednesday.

Defense attorney Wilson Tanner, who represents the Marshalls, confirmed his clients have been charged. He said the Marshalls plan to turn themselves in today for arraignment.

"I don't have discovery yet; I don't have the police report," Tanner said. "I'm certainly not going to say anything about the prosecutor's case or defense."

The name of Baxter's attorney was not known.

The charges against Christi Marshall allege she delivered marijuana to an undercover officer May 4; that Baxter did so May 3 and May 4; while Alan Marshall allegedly did so Feb. 28 and May 9.

The Feb. 28 delivery is outlined in the affidavit, which notes the "patient" was actually a Livingston and Washtenaw Narcotics Team officer who used a fictitious driver's license and Michigan medical marijuana card to allegedly purchase marijuana from Alan Marshall, who co-operates Marshall Alternatives at 165 Fowlerville Road, north of Mason Road and about four miles south of the village of Fowlerville.

The affidavit further notes that a defense for the medical use of marijuana "exists only for a registered caregiver who is connected to the patient through the Department of Community Health's registration process." Yet, the fake marijuana card identifies the "patient" — an undercover officer — as a patient only, with no caregiver designated.