Federal authorities nearing settlement with accused marijuana-grow operations supplier - The Denver Post

Federal authorities nearing settlement with accused marijuana-grow operations supplier - The Denver Post

Federal authorities are close to resolving a years-long investigation into a Front Range hydroponics gardening store owner and a network of basement marijuana grows, according to court records.

Federal prosecutors accuse Corey Inniss, the owner of the Way to Grow chain of hydroponics stores, of supplying growing equipment from his stores to help set up several marijuana cultivation operations in homes from Boulder to Fort Collins.

In exchange for the equipment, Inniss received a cut of the operations' proceeds, according to the documents.

Prosecutors accuse Inniss of taking the money he received from the marijuana operation and depositing it into business accounts for his hydroponics stores.

The court documents state that, between April 2005 and August 2006, Inniss made nearly $1.3 million in cash deposits into two Way to Grow bank accounts.

Authorities launched the investigation in August 2006, and recent filings suggest that the case may soon be resolved.

"The parties continue to be engaged in settlement negotiations and believe that a settlement is eminent as part of a global resolution involving criminal charges as well," federal prosecutors wrote in a Dec. 3 status update filing in one of the forfeiture cases.

Both Jeff Dorschner, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Denver, and Mike Turner, a Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman, declined to comment on the case.

Jeralyn Merritt, an attorney for Inniss, said in a statement: "Mr. Inniss, Way to Grow and the Government have expended considerable time and effort over the past year to resolve their legal differences. We anticipate a full resolution within the next few months. Way to Grow will continue to operate in full compliance with the law."

The investigation details appear in court documents in two asset forfeiture cases filed in federal District Court in Denver.

Read more: Federal authorities nearing settlement with accused marijuana-grow operations supplier - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/marijuana/ci_16900473#ixzz18ep4eAbJ
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