KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A federal court in Kansas is set to hear a case dealing with the forfeiture of over $165,000 made from medical marijuana sales in Kansas City, Missouri, that was being driven through the state to Colorado to be deposited.
On May 17, Dickinson County Sheriff's Deputy Kalen Robinson stopped Jamie Jordan, an employee of Denver-based company Empyreal Logistics LLC, who was driving from Colorado to Kansas City, Missouri.
Jordan told the deputy that her company transports cash from medical marijuana dispensaries in Missouri to Colorado, and she was on her way to Kansas City to pick up cash from the marijuana businesses.
Jordan was released by Robinson but she was stopped by him again the next day after the Drug Enforcement Administration surveilled Jordan "entering multiple state marijuana dispensaries in Kansas City, Missouri," according to the affidavit.
"Seized from the van was $165,620 in U.S. currency in five bags," the affidavit said. "Jordan confirmed to Robison that all of the currency was from multiple marijuana dispensaries in Kansas City, Missouri."
A drug detection dog later alerted to the odor of marijuana coming from the seized money. The money is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service.
Medical marijuana was legalized in the state of Missouri in 2018, and in Colorado, the state the defendant was driving to, recreational marijuana was legalized in 2012. But in Kansas, medical and recreational marijuana are illegal, and it is illegal under federal law.
Even though the money was made legally in Missouri and was being driven to another state where marijuana is legal, under the federal Controlled Substances Act, the money can be seized because it was used to purchase a controlled substance, according to court documents.
Empyreal Logistics LLC is now asking for the complaint to be dismissed "with prejudice" and for the money seized and their attorney's fees to be paid for, according to court documents.
A conference is scheduled for Jan. 4 in front of a federal judge in Wichita, Kansas.
