LEADER OF MARIJUANA DRUG RING SENTENCED

Roland Thoma, whose Portland-area operation went undetected for years, gets
10 years in prison and must forfeit $1 million

A former Beaverton real estate agent who grew $10 million worth of
marijuana in 25 Portland-area homes was sentenced Monday to 10 years in
federal prison and ordered to forfeit $1 million.

Roland Martin Thoma, 42, was the ringleader of a major marijuana-growing
and distribution ring that from June 1993 to December 1997 grew 10,000
plants in homes in Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington and Yamhill counties.

He pleaded guilty in November to a 10-count federal indictment charging
drug, conspiracy and money-laundering crimes.

Federal prosecutors said each home included a "grow room" in which pot was
cultivated, stored and packaged for distribution. The drugs were brought
mostly to Southern California in a truck with a secret gas-tank compartment.

Charles Stuckey, an assistant U.S. attorney for Oregon, said the case was
unusual because Thoma circumvented the homes' electricity meters so
increased power use wouldn't be noticed and then recruited a Portland
General Electric employee who supplied new meter seals so the alterations
went undetected. Drug cops often check for abnormal spikes in home power
use because dope growers usually hook up energy-draining lights and
irrigation pumps.

Stuckey also said Thoma used his real estate training to rent and buy
houses and put those houses in other people's names or under straw
companies so he could remain anonymous.

"All of that is at a level of sophistication that is a notch or two above
the norm," Stuckey said. "Most marijuana dealers don't go to that length to
keep their tracks covered."

It proved to be effective as Thoma went undetected for several years,
Stuckey said.

Thoma was arrested last year in Queensland, Australia, and served about six
months in jail for using a false passport before he was expelled. In
September, Australian authorities escorted him on a jet headed for Los
Angeles, where he was arrested on a federal warrant by U.S. marshals.

Melvin Eldridge, the former PGE employee, earlier pleaded guilty and was
sentenced to six month of home detention, a reduced sentence in exchange
for his cooperation with investigators. In August 1997, Eldridge searched
PGE's computer system for Thoma to determine whether any of the grow houses
were under suspicion for abnormal electricity use, court records show.

Thoma's sister, Klaudia I. Neiss, was sentenced earlier to 18 months. She
took care of plants at several homes. Michael Shane Patton, an electrician
who helped circumvent meters, is serving a year in prison. Eric W.
Friedrichsen, Thoma's cousin, is serving just more than three years, and
Darin Phillip Jones is serving just more than five years on drug-related
charges.

The Regional Organized Crime and Narcotics Agency, a task force of federal
and local officers, began investigating the operation in October 1997. The
following February, before any arrests were made, the U.S. attorney's
office in Portland filed a civil lawsuit in an effort to seize 13
properties. By then, Thoma was out of the country.

Federal law allows the government to seize assets if it can prove they were
used in the commission of illegal drug activity or were paid for with drug
money.