MAN ARRAIGNED ON ASSAULT, POT CHARGES

SAN FRANCISCO - A suspected pot grower from Sebastopol was arraigned in
federal court Friday on two felony counts - assaulting a federal agent and
manufacturing and possessing marijuana with intent to distribute.

Robert Schmidt, 52, grew 3,454 marijuana plants in 10 plots on the land he
rented at 848 Martin Lane, according to the criminal complaint.

During an early morning raid Thursday, Schmidt allegedly grabbed the barrel
of a federal agent's automatic rifle and attempted to wrest it away.

He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison and $4 million in fines on the
marijuana charge, and three years in prison and a $250,000 in fines on the
assault charge.

Schmidt has said he has a doctor's recommendation to use pot for medicinal
purposes, and that his caregiver nonprofit, Genesis 1:29, helps ill people.