San Luis Obispo’s budget includes federal program funds, hence the interest. Not understood by some, the feds have broad jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute cases at the local and state level-so long as there is a “federal interest.” Bribery of a state or local official is a federal crime where the locality or the state has received in excess of $10,000 for any federal program (which could be food stamps or even highway reconstruction money).
Helios dayspring san luis obispo free#
It was because Dayspring acted “corruptly” by using money, cannabis and free food, to influence a local public office holder. But it was not cannabis that put the authorities on the scent. Why did the feds in this vast Central District, home to 19 million inhabitants and covering 40,000 square miles, single out Dayspring? They were investigating corruption, not cannabis.Įven though cannabis production and distribution is legal in California, it remains illegally federally. RELATED: Q: What’s a Cannabis Operator to Do to Get Ahead Without Getting Indicted?ĭayspring’s cannabis corruption machinations were discovered after federal authorities began a multi-year investigation into local government corruption up the California coast.Ĭalifornia’s “Central District” federal prosecutors oversee the most-populated federal district in the nation covering some 40,000 square miles and 19 million inhabitants.
Harmon took no further questions on her connection to Dayspring.California’s coastal “King of Cannabis,” Helios Dayspring, owner of a San Luis Obispo cannabis cultivation site, supplier to many licensed California dispensaries, and founder of Central California’s Natural Healing Center dispensary, was sentenced to a 22-month prison sentence, in a downtown Los Angeles federal courtroom May 27.ĭayspring was also ordered to pay almost $3.5 million in back taxes to the IRS from years of unreported cannabis business income.ĭayspring, over a three-year period starting in 2016, bribed a San Luis Obispo county supervisor with money, free cannabis, and fancy meals, so that the local government official would vote in favor of policies which favored Dayspring’s San Luis Obispo cannabis farm and his Grover Beach, California retail outlet. When asked if she was under investigation, Harmon said no and that all of the donations made to her campaign have been properly reported-including donations made by Dayspring. When Harmon announced her resignation, allegations were made that she took gifts from Dayspring. The current charges against Dayspring are reportedly part of an ongoing public corruption investigation in SLO County. Neither Hill nor the FBI would comment on the investigation at the time. That same day the FBI carried out a search warrant at the San Luis Obispo County Government Center. In March 2020, Hill was hospitalized for what he said was an attempted suicide. The San Luis Obispo County Coroner’s Office ruled his death a suicide. Hill was found dead at his home in Pismo Beach on Aug. Referring to his plea agreement, Dayspring admitted to bribing former San Luis Obispo County District 3 Supervisor Adam Hill to further his cannabis businesses. Harmon said she does plan to reside in San Luis Obispo.įollowing her announcement, reporters immediately questioned Harmon if her resignation had anything to do with recent allegations that she is connected to Helios Dayspring, founder of the cannabis retailer Natural Healing Center.ĭayspring was arrested in early August and pleaded guilty to bribery and failing to report millions of dollars in income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). That person will hold the office through the end of the term in December 2022. If the council decides to appoint someone, city officials say an application period will open in September, and an appointment will be made at a council meeting in October. 7 to decide whether to appoint someone to fill the mayor’s position or hold a special election. The city council is scheduled to meet on Sept. Since Harmon took office, climate action has been a major city goal, and the city has adopted a plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2035.Ĭity officials say Harmon will leave office by Sept. The Institute describes Let’s Green CA as a climate justice movement with the goal of creating a carbon-neutral California.
0 kommentar(er)
