Cannabis Corruption
Two men were sentenced for paying bribes to the former Chairperson of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Licensing Board.
Brian Pierce, 45, of Midland and Vince Brown, 33, of Royal Oak, Michigan.
Pierce was sentenced to 24 months in prison and fined $25,000 with two years of supervised release.
Brown received 20 months in prison, $25,000 in fines, with two years of supervised release.
Rick Johnson, the former Chairperson of the Medical Marijuana Licensing Board, was previously the Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives.
Pierce and Brown worked as lobbyists who did business together as Philip Alan Brown Consulting and Michigan Growers Consultants.
Pierce and Brown lobbied on behalf of various businesses seeking operating licenses in the developing marijuana industry.
They admitted to paying $40,000 dollars to Johnson
Additionally, Pierce aid Rick Johnson $2,000 dollars to a Detroit stripper who was having sex with him.
The payments were made to influence and reward Johnson in connection with his official duties on the licensing board.
Report public corruption at tips.fbi.gov