Yesterday Prosecutor Mark Lindquist charged Robert Linwood Hall III, 33, with unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, unlawful manufacturing of a control substance, and unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree.

Pierce County began mailing letters to business owners, landlords, and operators in 2015, notifying them of the July 1, 2016 deadline for unlicensed marijuana sales operations. The defendant failed to get a license and continued to sell marijuana from a store front shop.

“Our goal is to aid law enforcement so that everyone complies with current law,” said Prosecutor Lindquist. “Those selling marijuana have been given ample notice of the deadline to obtain a license or cease operations. Marijuana is legal in Washington State, but you can’t sell it without a license just as you can’t sell alcohol without a license. Everyone has to play by the new rules.”

According to reports, Pierce County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a controlled buy from Hall on July 5, 2016. A deputy entered Hall’s marijuana store, Green Organics, and told Hall, who identified himself as “David,” that he wanted to purchase marijuana for back pain. Green Organics is not a licensed marijuana retailer. The defendant sold the deputy 4.6 grams of marijuana. The deputy did not provide and was not asked for any medical marijuana authorization.

On July 6, 2016 at about 10:00 a.m., deputies served a search warrant on the defendant’s business. They recovered marijuana in various forms, including flowers, extract, and confections; 2 digital scales; two different extraction systems; and large garbage bags filled with harvested untrimmed marijuana. Inside a safe, officers located $1159 in cash, marijuana bud, a handgun and ammunition, and five bags labeled Rosin. Glass and plastic jars with marijuana labels and a large pile of harvested marijuana plants were found in another room.

Hall has a previous felony conviction in Washington from 2015 making it illegal for him to have a firearm in his possession.

Hall was taken into custody and booked into the Pierce County Jail. He was ordered released on personal recognizance, but must comply with drug treatment recommended by his father or Pretrial Services as a condition of his release.

Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.