MAINE VOCALS FOUNDER ARRESTED ON DRUG, WEAPONS CHARGES

MADISON -- Donald Christen, founder of the pro-marijuana group The
Maine Vocals and organizer of the Hempstock festival, has been
arrested for a second time on drug and weapons charges.

Deputies from the Somerset, Kennebec and Franklin County sheriff's
departments arrested Christen, 51, on Wednesday at his Shusta Road
residence. Deputies searched there and at Christen's camp on Chicken
Street in Starks.

Lt. Carl E. Gottardi II arrested Christen and took him to the Somerset
County jail in Skowhegan on Wednesday morning. Bail is set at $10,000
cash.

Christen is charged with aggravated trafficking in a scheduled Z drug,
aggravated cultivation of marijuana and aggravated furnishing in a
scheduled Z drug.

Gottardi said that the latest charges against Christen are aggravated
due to the fact that more than one pound of marijuana was seized, and
because of the prior felony in 1993. Christen paid a $10,000 fine,
spent seven months in jail and completed 1,000 hours of community service.

This time, authorities said they seized processed marijuana, growing
plants, paraphernalia, cultivation equipment, counterfeit money and
drug-related documentation at the two residences.

"Evidence and an investigation led to the search warrants," Gottardi
said. "We will conduct tests on the firearms-related charges."

Gottardi said that Christen's connection with The Maine Vocals and
Hempstock had nothing to do with their pursuit of him. Earlier this
year, he said, authorities seized 49 marijuana plants on Christen's
property in Starks, and arrested another person.

"We're not doing anything on him because he was affiliated with a
certain group or anything," Gottardi said.

Both Christen and The Maine Vocals were charged with disorderly
conduct related to a 2001 Hempstock concert in Starks. Prosecutors
said Christen ignored warnings to turn music down during the four-day
rock festival.

Christen countered that the charges were a vindictive effort to push
his concerts out of Starks. He also complained that he was barred from
visiting his family in Starks while he waited two years for a trial.

"My playing loud music during a festival, which is the only thing they
are accusing me of here, is not reason to ban me from a town,"
Christen said at the time.

In the end, he pleaded no contest. He and The Maine Vocals were found
guilty and fined $800.