A marijuana robbery in Nebraska that went bad sent two men to prison for decades in September.
Lincoln, Neb., resident David Tatum, 19, was sentenced to 20 years in prison over the violent robbery, while his accomplice, Spencer Siroky, 24, also of Lincoln got a sentence of 27 years. The robbery occurred in Westminster, Col., in July 2015.
2 Nebraska men get prison for brutal home invasion robbery of MJ grower in Westminster. https://t.co/jHDtVeGXqS pic.twitter.com/QjHDvIAp2U
— DA Peter A. Weir (@DA1Colorado) September 16, 2016
The two defendants sneaked into a Westminster home in the early hours of July 19, 2015, joined by a third man. They robbed the house with guns, tying and beating the homeowners.
Money, firearms and cannabis was stolen
The robbers stole money, guns, and weed. The victims were allegedly working in the legal cannabis industry while a roommate was a caregiver who provided the drug to medical marijuana patients.
The victims reported a crime to police, and an off-duty officer from Boulder County spotted the robbers’ car at a Nebraska rest stop near Colorado. The officer, who was on vacation, reported the sighting to Nebraska officials, and they stopped the car.
Inside, officers found 10 pounds of live cannabis plants, as well as 2.5 pounds of processed marijuana, 30 grams of hash oil, and six firearms. Police arrested Siroky and Tatum, who were quickly extradited to stand trial in Colorado.
One suspect remains at large
“On a prior trip to Colorado, Siroky had been to (the victims’) house with a friend of his,” Weir’s office said in the press statement. “Siroky had asked them to sell him marijuana, but the victims declined.”
The DA’s office issued an arrest warrant for a third man, Fredy Pedraza Castillo, 24, who remained at large as of Sept. 19.
The sentencing hearing followed guilty pleas by both Tatum and Siroky. Tatum pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery last month, while Siroky pleaded guilty in July to kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and burglary.
Violence is relatively rare in the marijuana industry, especially among legal growers and retailers, but it’s not unheard of in illicit corners of the pot industry. This violence is a major target of reformers, as full legalization removes the motive for most such attacks.
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