MISSOULA MARIJUANA PROVIDER'S BUSINESS SEARCHED

Authorities searched the offices of Missoula medical marijuana
provider Jason Christ on Thursday, leaving with records and at least
one laptop computer.

"They're conducting an audit to make sure no fraudulent paperwork went
out," said Christ, holding a tote bag and his trademark gondola pipe,
adding that he'd long expected a visit from police.

"I'm surprised it took so long," said Christ, who is notorious for
smoking marijuana in public places, including on the state Capitol
lawn.

Thursday's search warrant applied to suspected distribution of
dangerous drugs - in this case, marijuana - and tampering with public
records or information, said Deputy Missoula County Attorney Andrew
Paul.

Christ said police also planned to search a small grow operation at
his house.

Paul disputed Christ's attempt to characterize Thursday's search
warrant as routine.

"I think if you looked at the number of dispensaries in Missoula
County and looked at the number of search warrants issued, that
statement would not stand scrutiny," said Paul.

The only other search warrant drawn up by the county attorney's office
for a medical marijuana business was executed last month at Montana
Pain Management, a medical marijuana provider on South Third Street
West. Montana Pain Management and Christ's Montana Caregivers Network
are among 39 registered medical marijuana businesses in Missoula
County as of Oct. 18, according to records from the state Department
of Public Health & Human Services.

Christ's MCN is best known for its traveling "cannabis caravans" that
provide a doctor's recommendation for medical marijuana for hundreds
of people within a few hours. Its offices are located in the blue
building on the southeast corner of Front and Orange streets that also
houses other firms in the medical marijuana business.

Inside the building's hallway, a sign outside Christ's suite said
Cannabis Care. Christ said Thursday that was the name of another
business he'd experimented with, declining to explain further.

Members of the Missoula Police Department and the Missoula County
Sheriff's Department showed up at about 10:30 a.m. Thursday and
searched the offices for about three hours, Christ said.

"Part of our protocol is to expect the police and expect authorities,"
he said, adding that he queries new hires as to whether they feel able
to deal with the stress of police breaking down a door and making
employees lie on the floor.

Not, he added, that Missoula law enforcement did anything of the sort
on Thursday.

"They're very kind here," he said. "I like that they're doing their
job."

Christ, who says he uses medical marijuana to control the pain of
hemorrhoids, and Crohn's and celiac diseases, predicted that police
would have a hard time deciphering the information they took from his
office.

His computer system contains 45 million lines of code, he
said.

"It's going to take them six months to even try to understand what I
wrote," he said.

Thursday's search was the most recent brush with the court system for
Christ, who is entangled in a number of legal actions.

Three former employees sued Christ in August, claiming wrongful
discharge. Christ in turn sought an injunction against them last
month, saying they stole trade secrets in violation of a noncompete
clause and used them to form a new, rival business. Earlier this
month, Christ sought an injunction against Zoo Mountain Natural Care -
another of the businesses in the building at Orange and Front streets-
claiming its owner Logan Head violated a similar noncompete clause.

The Missoula Police Department executed a search warrant on Christ's
phone records after employees at a Verizon store complained that
Christ threatened to bomb the store on Aug. 18. That case was closed
in September and no charges were filed.

Christ's tactics have not served the industry well, said Ed Docter,
who owns the Tamarack Dispensary medical marijuana business - which he
runs alongside his Tamarack Ski Shop - in Whitefish. Docter was
visiting another business in the Orange Street building when police
showed up Thursday.

"This in-your-face attitude (of Christ's) - it's amazing to think that
this is going to help the industry," said Docter. "You've got to have
a certain amount of professionalism. ... But he's pushing the limits,
being dumb."

That's why he wasn't surprised to see police searching Christ's
operation, Docter said.

"I've been waiting for it."