Weed farmer outraged over cops throwing pizza party after raid

MicroWave@lemmy.world to News@lemmy.world – 281 points – Weed farmer outraged over cops throwing pizza party after raid
newsweek.com

A weed farmer in California recently filed a lawsuit against the a local sheriff's office alleging that they conducted an illegal raid of his farm and then threw a pizza party to celebrate.

Earlier this week, Preston McCormick filed a lawsuit against the Riverside County Sheriff's Office in California, alleging that several officers executed an "unlawful and illicit" raid at his cannabis farm, East Wind AG, and then celebrated the raid while remaining on his farm.

"Astonishingly, and at the conclusion of all this wholesale destruction and devastation at the hands of RCSD's officers and others directed and controlled by same, all as briefly described herein and above, Defendants proceeded to celebrate the terrible results of their unlawful acts by ordering for delivery to, and then consuming, various pizza and other food and drinks, all while still remaining at and on the Property (the "Pizza Party")," the lawsuit, which was reviewed by Newsweek, said.

The lawsuit added that 75 boxes of pizza were found at McCormick's farm following the raid by the Riverside County Sheriff's Office.

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In November 2022, McCormick noticed a news report detailing an "unauthorized and unlicensed cannabis farm, located on unincorporated land," that was raided by members of the Riverside County Sheriff's Office. McCormick then met with members of the sheriff's office to provide paperwork showing the legality of his cannabis farm.

At around 4:30 a.m. local time on December 7, McCormick was woken up by members of the sheriff's office as they began their raid.

Fuck! He proactively went to show his legal status and all that did was put himself on their radar.

However, the sheriff's office was informed by members of the tribe that they were not authorized to conduct the raid on their land. In turn, members of the sheriff's office said the tribal members "didn't know what they were talking about," the lawsuit said.

Much of McCormick's property and cannabis plants were destroyed during the raid and officers confiscated $300,000 from the tribe's safe.

Outright theft. They had no jurisdiction and didn't care that they didn't.

Additionally, the lawsuit said that on January 8, 2023, McCormick's "family home 'mysteriously' caught fire, after the sheriff's office ordered power and water to his property to be turned off, resulting in the home "being completely burned down," along with much of his personal belongings.

Why would the water be shut off?! Goddamnit. Every part of this article is infuriating, nothing about this was law enforcement, just armed thugs raiding locals for fun and profit.

Oh Jesus christ they didn't even put the worst parts anywhere near the title. They didn't just have a pizza party, they celebrated the destruction of a man's property on land they weren't allowed to police on, LEFT THE BOXES, and then engaged in a little bit of freelance arsonry (or aided arsonry). Fuck me

To the cops involved, it was probably their annual work party. Bastards stole his money and burnt his shit down for morale and their mutual holiday cheer.

Yeah, they're cops. Outrageous and illegal is their whole thing...