Drug Charges Dropped Against Former Paw Paw Teacher In Medical Marijuana Case

[MiMedical]

PAW PAW, MI -- Felony drug charges have been dropped against Scot Granke, a former Paw Paw Middle School teacher accused of violating his license to grow medical marijuana, according to Van Buren County Circuit Court records.

 

 

However, as part of a plea agreement, Granke has pleaded guilty to being a school employee who failed to report a felony arrest to his employer. That charge is a felony that carries a possible sentence of two years in prison and/or a $2,000 fine.

 

Granke, 51, will be sentenced Monday, Feb. 24, before Van Buren Circuit Judge Kathleen Brickley.

 

Granke was originally charged with one count of manufacturing marijuana and one count of manufacturing hash, both felonies, as well as four misdemeanor counts of possessing an unlicensed handgun.

 

Those charges have all been dropped, according to court records.

 

Granke's medical marijuana operation in Bangor was raided in August by the Michigan State Police after they were notified by Granke's estranged wife, Marlene, that she thought he was violating his license.

 

Trooper Evan Hauger and Lt. Tim Blanksford found 66 plants, 18 more than Granke's license allowed, and a pound of possessed marijuana, when the maximum Granke is allowed is 15 ounces, Lt. Kevin Wiley testified at an October court hearing to obtain an arrest warrant for Granke.

 

They also found hash, which is not allowed under the medical marijuana law, and four unregistered handguns, Wiley testified at that hearing.

 

Granke was a longtime teacher at Paw Paw Middle School. He was put on leave in August after the raid and he resigned from his job in December.

 

Under Michigan law, school employees are required to self-report a criminal arraignment on any felony charges within three business days. Granke's arraignment was held in October.

 

A Dec. 18 preliminary exam in the case indicated that Granke and his estranged wife were in the midst of a contentious divorce and custody battle when she called police.

 

Granke moved out of the family home in June and by the time of the police raid in August, the marijuana plants -- locked in a locked barn behind the home -- were yellowed and dying.

 

RELATED STORY: Testimony in Scot Granke case details police raid on Bangor medical marijuana operation.

 

Van Buren County had the highest rate of marijuana-related arrests among Michigan's larger counties in 2012, according to statistics reported to the Michigan State Police.

 

Below is a database for 2012 marijuana arrests for the 36 Michigan counties with a population of 50,000 or more. The arrest numbers are those reported to the Michigan State Police by local police agencies.

 

To create a top-to-bottom ranking of the different counties, click on "all counties" and then click on top of the appropriate column to look at the ranking for that column.

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2014/02/drug_charges_dropped_against_f.html

[trichcycler]

son of a gun. I would have bet against his freedom, with multiple firearms mentioned, and then how many patient? how many ounces?   bad reporting maybe.

 

glad nobody went to jail !  but he did plea after all.

[t-pain]

thats crazy about the bogus arrest being a crime if not reported.

[MiMedical]

Amazing for sure, and yes I would agree that not reporting thing is ignorant, great for that Judge not to try and hang the guy, she knew his wife wanted to hang him up and she failed, that's awesome she took a few steps back an looked at the whole picture also