Police Seize $50K Worth of Marijuana, 24 Guns
A report says residents complained about marijuana being grown in the 500 block of Watts Avenue, located near Arundel High School in Gambrills.
UPDATE (11:20 a.m.)—Anne Arundel County police seized $50,000 worth of marijuana and two dozen guns at a Gambrills home on Friday.
According to a press release, police executed a search and seizure warrant in the 500 block of Watts Avenue after an investigation into illegal drug manufacturing. Police said they received several complaints about marijuana being grown at the home, which is located near Arundel High School on Annapolis Road.
The search revealed 46 mature marijuana plants—each about 5 to 6 feet—growing in a fenced-in portion of the backyard. Police said they also seized 24 guns: 11 handguns, five shotguns and eight rifles with one being an assault rifle (AK-47). Ten of the guns were registered, according to police. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives will determine the legality of the unregistered weapons.
Police said the home’s owner Nicholas Vincent Dominick, 53, was charged with the following: possession of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, manufacturing marijuana, possession of a gun in a drug trafficking crime (two counts), possession with intent to distribute marijuana in a school zone, manufacturing marijuana in a school zone and possession of paraphernalia (two counts).
Other items found at the home reportedly included numerous ammunition magazines, boxes of shotgun, rifle and pistol ammunition, a marijuana growing book and a plastic container containing marijuana seeds.
Because of the home’s proximity to Arundel High, the Special Enforcement Section has notified the Anne Arundel County Police Department’s School Safety Section about the arrest and seizure. Police said summer school was not in session at Arundel High at the time of the search.
Dominick was released Saturday on $25,000 bond from the Anne Arundel County Detention Center.
healey
12:10 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
What the heck? Does everyone that lives in (or near) my neighborhood have 2 dozen guns in their home?
McGibblets
12:21 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
If you have to ask, does it really matter?
Michelle Cohn
11:22 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
hahahahahaha. Awesome!
charisse
12:33 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Location..... location... location..... business quote!!!....... wow gambrils....
Mindy Anderson
3:53 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Did this guy REALLY think that nobody would notice the enormous amounts of tall marijuana plants in the backyard? Look at that picture! Unbelievable.
localresident
10:16 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Actually it was contained to the area you can see...that's it. There was no more growing his property. Regardless of what is said...probably only produce enough actual pot to last until next growing season.Only 6 houses on the street-nobody cares that he grew it or smoked it because he is good neighbor.
tiredof theleft
6:39 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
"one being an assault rifle" oh really? and which one is that? and what makes it an "assault" rifle, hmmm? you wouldn't know an "assault" rifle if it bit you on the ass, why don't you stop using buzzwords that you think make you look knowledgeable, but in reality prove your ignorance of weaponry
just_my_opinion
6:07 pm on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
That would be the one labeled "AK-47" Why don't you read the story before and know your weapons...
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the USSR by Mikhail Kalashnikov.
Who's the ignorant one?
tiredof theleft
12:31 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
an "assault" weapon is fully automatic, cutting and pasting something you googled re: AK47 proves you know nothing, I read the article as well as examined the pictures, which seem to show an AR15 as well, but AK47 serves to scare people more, which is I'm sure why they pointed it out and not the AR....I'm remain convinces that you are the ignorant one, repeat this until you get it "fully automatic"
tiredof theleft
12:38 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
the reply below is to "just_my_opinion", and believe me, I know my weapons, ya jackwagon, there seem to be several semi-autos in the pic, why are they not "assault" weapons? oh yeah cause they don't "look" "bad"
tiredof theleft
12:47 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
wow, patch, re-ordering the order of replies is confusing, starts out on top then moves, also, why can't we reply to a reply?
Patty B
11:36 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Sounds to me like reasonable people (I.e. his former coworkers, former supervisors and law enforcement officers) believed that his threats were credible and likely to be carried out. So what was your point about the legality of his arrest?
Ronald
7:40 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Be careful you you label as 'reasonable'. How many of those people cited do you actually know? Sounds like bitter ex-wives wanting to 'get even' for failed marriages.
McGibblets
9:07 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
The sad truth is, when this county was founded it was founded upon people being able to live freely within their own confines and their private matters remain that, their private matters.... it wasnt until the war on drugs and soon to come war on guns that makes this man a 'criminal'.
Midge
9:11 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
It is interesting that this Gambrills guy is being charged with the intent to distribute. A) there is no evidence that he had any intent (he said it was for medical purposes - cancer)
B) it carries a higher fine because he is in a school zone.
Susan, can you update whether this man had cancer or another medical reason he claimed for possessing/growing it? That is what was said on the news last night.
Brian
9:38 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Midge when more that a certain amount is found they can then charge one with intent to distribute. I am not sure what that amount is.
localresident
10:03 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
He has major back issues and recently underwent a bone fusion. Prescription drugs make him sick-marijana works for him. Absolutely no selling or any issues from this neighbor
Susan Jenkins
11:21 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Midge, we are trying to get clarification on that and will update the story. So far, no official confirmation on what his reasons were for growing the marijuana.
Brian
11:15 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
This seems to be in his favor Midge
Maryland's legislature passed a medical marijuana affirmative defense law in 2003. This law requires the court to consider a defendant's use of medical marijuana to be a mitigating factor in marijuana-related state prosecution. If the patient, post-arrest, successfully makes the case at trial that his or her use of marijuana is one of medical necessity, then the maximum penalty allowed by law would be a $100 fine.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA STATUTES: Maryland Darrell Putman Compassionate Use Act, Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law §5-601(c)(3)(II) (2003).
AMENDMENTS: Yes.
Senate Bill 308, signed into law on May 10, 2011, removes fines and criminal penalties for citizens who successfully raise an 'affirmative defense' in court establishing that they possessed limited amounts (one ounce or less) of marijuana for medical purposes. Citizens who cultivate cannabis or who possess larger amounts of marijuana may still raise an affirmative defense at trial and, if successful, will have their sentence mitigated.
Michelle Cohn
11:21 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Marijuana laws in Maryland
For medical purposes:
Patients whose doctors have diagnosed them with a debilitating medical condition (including a condition that is “severe and resistant to conventional medicine”) can assert the medical use of marijuana as an affirmative defense at trial if charged with possession of marijuana. In addition to having a debilitating condition, patients will need to show that the doctor who made the diagnosis was one with whom the patient has an ongoing, bona fide physician-patient relationship and that marijuana is likely to provide him or her with therapeutic or palliative relief. Finally, the defense is not available to anyone in possession of more than one ounce of marijuana or who uses marijuana in a public place.
For patients who don’t qualify for the full affirmative defense, there is also a sentencing mitigation whereby, upon conviction, the patient can present evidence of “medical necessity.” If the court agrees, the maximum penalty that can be imposed is a $100 fine. The law does not include caregivers, dispensaries, or home cultivation to provide patients with a safe source of their medicine.
If this is the case for this man, then that will be that. I hardly believe, however, that is the case, or he wouldn't be growing that significant amount. I understand that he was harmless in the small community. It isn't clear to me, that he is harmless overall. That is much more pot than one person would need for their medical use.
localresident
11:40 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
@ Michelle...incorrect. Only handguns need to be registered in the state of Maryland. You can go to WalMart and walk out with a shotgun and ammo as long as your criminal record checks out clean. What the story doesn't tell you is that it was a gun collection-some so old they could no longer be fired.
Michelle Cohn
11:46 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Great to know. Thanks for clarifying. It does say 10 were registered, so that leaves only one handgun...not that registering means really anything, other than it is somewhat traceable. They may be slanting how it looks when they find 24 guns, but you really can't slant the enormous amount he had growing. That is not what one person would need for their medical needs.
Michelle Cohn
11:48 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
I do believe we are wasting enormous tax dollars trying to fight this issue overall. It is, however, still the law as it stands. Any idea what alerted the police to this situation? I would think if he lives on a small street, with neighbors that have no problem with him, we would have bigger fish to fry. It just isn't passing the smell test. Any idea?
McGibblets
1:15 pm on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
The war on drugs is a war on citizens.... not to mention a jobs program for govt/unions.
McGibblets
1:16 pm on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Sorry Michelle, I wasnt trying to reply to you specifically but apparently Patch thought so!
Citizen Kane
1:36 pm on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Upside down and backwards society ! Raid a guy's house and stamp him as a dirty criminal for growing PLANTS ! Meanwhile, visit a doctor (legal drug pushers), tell them your back hurts, and they write you a prescription for low dose heroin. classic
Brian
9:51 am on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
@CK yes, but the latter is legal. The guy is a criminal if he committed a crime.
McGibblets
12:44 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Brian:
Does being legal make something right or correct or proper?
Brian
1:11 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
@McG no but we all have rules(laws) we have to follow. Since growing mary jane is deemed illegal at this time, the man arrested is an alleged criminal. Once he is convicted of this crime or takes a plea he will become a criminal. Lets not split hairs here. He did what he did knowing that he could get caught and made a decision to do it. Do the crime, do the time.
McGibblets
1:37 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
So Brian, when it was illegal to help free slaves are you saying people should have had to do the time for helping individuals retain or acquire their freedom? After all, laws are laws...
McGibblets
1:38 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Further, i've yet to hear of a victim in this 'crime'.... more police work being done, more man hours both policing and doing reporting all because someone likes to grow a plant on their own property.... and throwing the guns in is so typical... although that was supposed to be a guaranteed right we all should have.
Brian
2:26 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
@McG
Yes I am saying that. In fact many who got caught helping free slaves were punished under the law. Those that were helping to free the slaves were willing to do the time.
Just because a crime is victimless does not make it NOT a crime. There are a lot of victimless crimes on the books.
If you choose to do the crime, you have chosen to do the time. There is no questioning that. Morality of the crime changes with time. At this time in history growing Mary Jane is illegal.
McGibblets
2:56 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Would you agree then Brian that the war on drugs, or at least cannabis, is no more than a jobs programs to bolster the police force or further justify their cause then, when more than 50% of americans believe if nothing else it should be available medicinally if not recreationally. Just curious.... and yes that is a run on sentence!
Brian
3:20 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
I guess in its simplest form the war on drugs could be considered just a jobs program. I say that not because of what you mentioned but because if we really want to stop it we could. The fact that there is so much money involved in the trade, it kind of clouds the attempt to stop it. Making it legal takes a lot of the profit out of it. Then again to stop it totally takes too much money out of some very important peoples hands.
P.S. Language is for communication, written or otherwise. As long as you get your message across, I dont care if it is grammatically correct. :-)
This war on Mary Jane sort of reminds me of prohibition of Al Cohol.
McGibblets
3:24 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Its unfortunate to see so many lives lost in mexico and other countries as well as their economies debilitated due to US regulation on what they can and cannot produce/export. We have ATF people dying, civilians dying, drug users dying due to inconsistencies in dosage all so we can have a fun game of Call of Duty with taxpayer money and 'fight the bad guys'
The war on drugs is appalling quite frankly.
Susan Kim
7:21 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Ehhh...I hope this guy doesn't get into too much trouble.
I wish something could be done about the muggings and attacks in Odenton (Strawberry Lake specifically). In my opinion, those are the more serious crimes the community should be concerned about.