NARCOTICS AGENTS RAID 'MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLUB'

A Springfield man's "medical marijuana club" was raided Wednesday
night, less than 14 hours after he announced the club to the news media.

Springfield police raided a home in the 1100 block of North Third
Street about 7 p.m. Wednesday and arrested Scott Carriere, 40,
according to Deputy Chief Clay Dowis.

Carriere will be charged in connection with growing several marijuana
plants inside the house, Dowis said, although police did not indicate
how much was recovered.

Jail records Wednesday night indicate Carriere is being investigated
on suspicion that he had between 30 and 500 grams of marijuana and
had produced more than 50 plants.

About 15 minutes before narcotics agents raided Carriere's house,
Carriere spoke by phone with a State Journal-Register reporter in
defense of his club, which he said charged membership fees.

Carriere claimed he believed the operation, which opened Monday, was
legal. Carriere said the club had three members, although he did not
disclose their names.

"You pay your membership fees, and the marijuana is actually free,"
Carriere said. "I don't charge for the marijuana at all. It's medicine."

During the interview, Carriere said police had been harassing him
earlier Wednesday night. Two cars that left his house between 6 p.m.
and 7 p.m. were stopped and one was searched, he told the reporter.

"It just seems like the police are not listening to this at all," he
said. "The U.S. attorney last week said they would not prosecute for
medical marijuana. If he's allowing one state to prescribe it, it
recognizes the use of it."

"I want a legal business of distributing medicine," Carriere said. "I
don't want to be out selling pot."

Carriere did not elaborate on his claim that a U.S. attorney had said
there would be no prosecution for medical marijuana.

A spokeswoman for central Illinois U.S. Attorney Rodger Heaton said
Heaton has made no such statement.

Carriere said the only stipulation to join his club was that members
had to sign a form indicating they would use the drug only for
medicinal purposes. The form also indicated the members agreed to
allow Carriere to grow marijuana for them.

Carriere also claimed to have paid $27 to obtain a business permit
from Sangamon County.

Carriere said he grew plants based on patients' needs. The amount
varied from week to week, he said, but the amount grown never
exceeded more than four to five plants at a time.

"I grow plants that are half an ounce each," he said. "They're
little bitty plants."

Carriere said he has been using marijuana for 12 years. A California
doctor previously recommended it to relieve back spasms, he said.

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CARRIERE'S E-MAIL TO THE NEWS MEDIA ABOUT HIS 'MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLUB'

Sent at 5:33 a.m. Wednesday:

"I have opened a medical marijuana club in Springfield. I just wanted
you to know. It is currently being run out of my residence. The
address is (he gave an address in the 1100 block of North Third
Street). I am accepting customers and suppliers. Thank you.

"P.S. I have filed the paperwork at the courthouse under my name and
address, the name of the business is Medical Marijuana Compassionate
caregivers Club."