THREE ARRESTED IN POT SEIZURE

Federal, Local Agents Raid Dispensary On North Chester Home

This article was updated Sept. 9, 2005, to add a middle initial to the name
of suspect Michael T. Kilpatrick.

Federal and local authorities raided a medical marijuana dispensary and its
owner's home Thursday morning, and investigators arrested three people as
part of an alleged illegal marijuana trafficking operation.

Agents seized 20 pounds of marijuana at a wholesale value of $800,000 and
three stolen firearms during the raid, they said.

The owner of Free and Easy Cooperative on North Chester, James Holland, and
his associates Michael T. Kilpatrick, 44, and Thomas Wright, 34, were
arrested on suspicion of possession of stolen firearms, federal officials said.

They may also be charged with possession of illegal drugs, federal agent
Gordon Taylor said.

The raid was the first in Bakersfield since the U.S. Supreme Court dealt a
blow to the medical marijuana movement by ruling that the federal
government has the authority to prosecute people whose activities are legal
under state law but are prosecutable under federal law.

California voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996, which allowed the use
of marijuana under a doctor's prescription for medicinal purposes.

"Clearly possession, distribution or sale of marijuana is a violation of
federal laws that was reiterated by the Supreme Court decision," Taylor
said. "We are going to enforce not only those laws that have to do with
heroin and cocaine but marijuana laws as well."

Authorities said the raid was the culmination of a six-month investigation
of an operation run by Holland that involved officers from the federal Drug
Enforcement Agency, the Kern County Sheriff's Department, the Bakersfield
Police Department, the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and
the U.S. Attorney's Office.

The DEA issued search warrants for both Free and Easy Cooperative on North
Chester Avenue and Holland's home.

Most of the marijuana was found at Holland's house, Taylor said.

When drug enforcement agents and investigators arrived at the dispensary
Thursday morning, they saw Holland drive away from the shop, Taylor said.

During a pursuit, Holland threw a loaded 40-caliber handgun out of his car
onto the sideway along North Chester Avenue, Taylor said.

Taylor said each marijuana dispensary will be looked at on a case-by- case
basis.

"Often these dispensaries are owned and operate by common criminals that
are using state marijuana laws to hide behind," Taylor said.

There is one other medical marijuana dispensary in Bakersfield.