The previous head of a Michigan marijuana licensing board pleaded responsible to bribery Tuesday, acknowledging he accepted a minimum of $110,000 in change for approving functions for the profitable enterprise.
Rick Johnson’s look in federal courtroom in Grand Rapids was a outstanding fall. Years in the past he was a strong state lawmaker, serving as speaker of the Republican-controlled Home from 2001 via 2004.
The investigation up to now has centered on corruption on the marijuana board earlier than it was disbanded in 2019. The board reviewed and accredited functions to develop and promote marijuana for medical functions.
A Detroit-area businessman, John Dalaly, pleaded responsible final week. He mentioned he offered a minimum of $68,200 in money and different advantages to Johnson, together with two personal flights to Canada.
Johnson, 70, and protection lawyer Nick Dondzila declined to remark exterior courtroom.
Two lobbyists, Brian Pierce and Vincent Brown, have agreed to plead responsible to conspiring to go bribes to Johnson. All 4 males are cooperating with the FBI, which may assist them at sentencing.
Johnson’s plea settlement states that he should present investigators with details about “any and all legal exercise of which he’s conscious” and testify in courtroom or to a grand jury if needed. That provision isn’t restricted to his work on the marijuana board.
“We could or could not convey future fees on this case,” U.S. Lawyer Mark Totten instructed reporters. “What I can say is that the investigation and prosecution of public corruption is a precedence for our workplace. We’ll comply with it wherever we discover it.”
Prosecutors agreed to not convey fees towards Johnson’s spouse, Janice. Dalaly mentioned Rick Johnson instructed him to rent her to work on license functions.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer abolished the medical marijuana board a couple of months after taking workplace in 2019 and put oversight inside a state company.
Michigan voters legalized marijuana for medical functions in 2008. Voters accredited the leisure use of marijuana in 2018.
