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Thor
Anti-Theist OVERLORD
Registered: 08/12/98
Posts: 10,017
Loc: Iceland
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PF pleads guilty!
#1829486 - 08/19/03 11:53 AM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Very sad day indeed
August 14, 2003
DEFENDANTS ENTER GUILTY PLEAS IN HALLUCINOGENIC MUSHROOM CASE
United States Attorney John McKay announced that on August 13, 2003, ROBERT W. McPHERSON, date of birth, August 18, 1946, and his wife MARGARET M. McPHERSON, date of birth December 24, 1954, both of Amanda Park, Grays Harbor County, Washington, entered guilty pleas in Tacoma to charges related to their February 20, 2003, indictment for growing hallucinogenic mushrooms and selling mushroom spores over the internet. Both defendants entered their guilty pleas before United States Magistrate Judge Karen Strombom.
According to court records, the investigation of ROBERT McPHERSON was started in 1999 when law enforcement agencies around the country received calls from concerned parents whose children had received packages from a company called Psylocybe Fanaticus, operated by ROBERT McPHERSON. Those packages contained syringes with mushroom spores, and instructions on how to grow hallucinogenic mushrooms. McPHERSON operated a website to promote the sale of the hallucinogenic mushroom spores. The website also provided a first-person description of the mental disorientation and physical sickness that results from eating hallucinogenic mushrooms. On February 18, 2003, federal agents searched the residence of ROBERT and MARGARET McPHERSON in Amanda Park, and seized mushrooms containing psilocin, a controlled substance.
ROBERT McPHERSON pleaded guilty to the felony offense of manufacturing (growing) mushrooms containing psilocin. MARGARET McPHERSON pleaded guilty to possession of psilocin, a Class A Misdemeanor.
According to court documents filed as part of the guilty pleas, ROBERT McPHERSON acknowledged that he knew that the mushrooms in his house were hallucinogenic mushrooms, containing an illegal controlled substance. He also admitted that he sold mushroom spores that were intended to grow into hallucinogenic mushrooms.
MARGARET McPHERSON admitted in court documents that she assisted her husband in raising the mushrooms, and that she knew the mushrooms contained an illegal controlled substance.
Court records reflect that as part of their guilty pleas, ROBERT and MARGARET McPHERSON agreed to forfeit property used to commit or to facilitate the commission of the charged offenses, and property derived from proceeds they obtained as the result of the offenses, including the following:
A residence and real property on North Shore Road, Amanda Park, Washington. A residence and real property in Moclips, Washington. Real property on Lakeview Drive, Amanda Park, Washington. $78,286 in cash. Sentencing is scheduled for October 31, 2003, at 9:30 a.m. before United States District Judge Robert J. Bryan. ROBERT McPHERSON'S offense carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a fine not to exceed $1,000,000, a term of supervised release of five years, and a Special Assessment of $100.
MARGARET McPHERSON'S offense carries a penalty of imprisonment for not more than one year, a fine not to exceed $200,000, a period of supervised release of one year, a period of probation of up to five years, and a Special Assessment of $25.
The investigation was a joint effort of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the National Park Service, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
For further information, please contact John Hartingh, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, at (206) 553-4110, or Douglas Whalley, Assistant United States Attorney, at (206) 553-4882; or Ye-Ting Woo, Assistant United States Attorney, at (206) 553-2268.
ht tp://www.usdoj.gov/usao/waw/press_room/2003/aug/mcpherson.htm ***Please copy and paste the URL, do not click directly from shroomery, this is a US Law enforcement webpage***
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Lana
Head Banana
Registered: 10/27/99
Posts: 3,109
Loc: www.MycoSupply.com
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: Thor]
#1829575 - 08/19/03 12:12 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Wow....
I thought the trial was on Sept. 9th?
Regardless, its a shame that this has to happen.
My prayers go out to the McPherson's.
Lana
-------------------- Myco Supply - Distributors of Mycological Products http://www.MycoSupply.com The Premiere Source for Mushroom Growing Supplies. Visit us online or call us toll free
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Infrared
sleeping
Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 12,988
Loc: Chicago, USA
Last seen: 2 years, 1 month
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: Thor]
#1829636 - 08/19/03 12:27 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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once again ignorant little kids are ruining it for the rest of us
-------------------- When chemistry is outlawed.. Only outlaws have chemistry
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MOTH
Wild Woman
Registered: 06/06/03
Posts: 23,431
Loc: In the jungle
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: Thor]
#1829663 - 08/19/03 12:33 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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TheHobbit
Pot Head Pixie
Registered: 09/04/02
Posts: 863
Loc: the Oily Way...
Last seen: 20 years, 5 months
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: Thor]
#1829768 - 08/19/03 01:01 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Wow, that's fucking brutal. Might as well be sentence to death, and for what...the US drug laws are totally brutal.
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floridaboi101
Fiddlestix
Registered: 07/31/03
Posts: 282
Loc: SW Florida
Last seen: 13 years, 13 days
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: Thor]
#1829786 - 08/19/03 01:05 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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WHAT THE FUCK?? that sucks man!
-------------------- Got weed?
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daba
Stranger
Registered: 12/30/02
Posts: 3,881
Last seen: 11 years, 2 months
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XOCHI
Master
Registered: 01/04/99
Posts: 71
Last seen: 1 year, 1 month
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: daba]
#1829953 - 08/19/03 01:53 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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I wondering why he is facing 20 years for manufacturing.There's a book called mushrooms and the law.And only a hand full of states have up to 20 year sentence.Maybe because of the federal guidelines?If i was him as long as he did it and as much money he made i would of moved to the netherlands along time ago.(headquarters) How smart can you get selling these spores and growing in the same house.I wonder how much in wet wieght or dry weight they got.That would be like selling shrooms off your porch and growing in the same house not too smart.This just shows how of a fine line that the few other vendors walk on.I think it's great what the ones that are left are doing.And it has made a difference in the manner in which one can buy these spores.So in the long run all the other vendors are learning from pf.Stay safe you all................
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Anonymous
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: XOCHI]
#1830982 - 08/19/03 06:33 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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I am sorry to hear this, he is a great man and I wish him the best.
I will pray for him too. I pray that the judge give a light sentence to this great man, so he may live his life out, a free man.
I wish you the best ROBERT!!!!!!!!!!
peace
zerohero
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Fungushungry
Addict
Registered: 07/17/02
Posts: 2,014
Loc: Whispering Winds
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: ]
#1831357 - 08/19/03 08:51 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Good luck Robert...
Sad day indeed
-------------------- "Early man walked away As modernman took control There mind's weren't all the same And to conquer was their goal So he built his great empire And he slaughtered his own kind He died a confused man And killed himself in his own mind"
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Ravinoff
LethargicSnorting Duck
Registered: 07/15/03
Posts: 686
Last seen: 20 years, 6 months
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: ]
#1831358 - 08/19/03 08:51 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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Awww man, that totally sucks...
He wasn't exactly the smartest person though, any idiot would have done things different than him
Just get someone in canada to do the growing and printing for him and he wouldn't have ever had to worry about breaking any laws... hell you could even hire some kid to grow the mushrooms for him for a couple hundred bucks and just mail him the prints....
I don't understand why he would be so god damn wreckless with something like this... Spending 20 years in jail is pretty harsh considering he could have avoided it so easily...
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dibbles
Just a normalguy with nothingto lose.
Registered: 06/09/03
Posts: 554
Loc: Exactly where you'd never...
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: ]
#1831396 - 08/19/03 09:09 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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It seems like he was a good man, with good intentions, and like you said, stupid kids fuck it up for, god damn government, my thoughts go out to those two.
-------------------- You've succumb to an empty fate, your false prophets are gone, your life,meaningless, your heart and head broken, and we're all laughing.
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RevCo
Stranger
Registered: 08/08/02
Posts: 45
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: ]
#1831545 - 08/19/03 09:51 PM (20 years, 7 months ago) |
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I would like to mention that PF will probably get more jail time for what he did than your average rapist, murder, child molester...
Sad isnt it..
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Papaver
Madmin Emeritus?
Registered: 06/01/02
Posts: 26,880
Loc: Radio Free Tibet!
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: RevCo]
#1831952 - 08/20/03 12:11 AM (20 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
RevCo said: I would like to mention that PF will probably get more jail time for what he did than your average rapist, murder, child molester...
Sad isnt it..
Yeah, it is...
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factory81
enthusiast
Registered: 08/22/02
Posts: 314
Loc: Ibiza, Spain
Last seen: 14 years, 9 days
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: Papaver]
#1831996 - 08/20/03 12:27 AM (20 years, 6 months ago) |
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Thats horrible but you have to say, he shouldn't of gave instructions, if he had used his real name, he should have went with a nickname and P.O. box. He should have his website to supply "gourmet and mycology research spores", and have them sold for intentions of microscopic research only. He literally put a sign up sayin "I only sell psilocybe mushrooms, I created the ever so popular pf tek, ran a website to sell the spores complete with visual and text information on how to grow, and then he set the manual which was just bound to be found by the wrong people". It is horrible they lost everything because of us.But you have to say he could of done 3 or 4 things differantly...................
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Wheedhead!
Test subject #1
Registered: 11/14/02
Posts: 205
Loc: Area 51
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: Thor]
#1832336 - 08/20/03 03:28 AM (20 years, 6 months ago) |
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Im also wondering why he didnt just move to the netherlands like somone in this post suggested. He could have moved the whole operation out of the states years ago!! But he must have had his reasons.
Such a waste.
Are there any examples of trials like this? like sentences and shit?
-------------------- I just The Shroomery Monkeys might fly out of my butt Dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope. " Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers
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Twirling
Barred Spiral
Registered: 02/03/03
Posts: 2,468
Last seen: 2 years, 1 month
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: RevCo]
#1832561 - 08/20/03 07:20 AM (20 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
RevCo said: I would like to mention that PF will probably get more jail time for what he did than your average rapist, murder, child molester...
Sad isnt it..
Yeah, I read in my local paper today that someone got sentanced to 4 years for rape, meanwhile PF is getting up to 20 years, a HUGE fine, lose of properiety and more. The scales of justice certianly aren't balanced.
I do agree though that he messed up. I really hope this doesn't effect other vendors anymore than it has.
-------------------- The very nature of experience is ineffable; it transcends cognitive thought and intellectualized analysis. To be without experience is to be without an emotional knowledge of what the experience translates into. The desire for the understanding of what life is made of is the motivation that drives us all. Without it, in fear of the experiences what life can hold is among the greatest contradictions; to live in fear of death while not being alive.
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mycofile
Pooh-Bah
Registered: 01/18/99
Posts: 2,336
Loc: Uranus
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: Twirling]
#1837484 - 08/21/03 01:48 PM (20 years, 6 months ago) |
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I'm surprised nobody even wondered what the deal he took was. We may never know, but it sure sounds more like a plea bargain than a "plead guilty and hope they sentence you light".
Also note, that they plead guilty to manufacture and possesion of psilocybin. This has nothing to do with the spore business. This was people caught manufacturing and possessing drugs. All the paranoia going through the vendors should be put to rest as long as you don't grow and possess.
Regardless, I hope there was a good deal worked out for them, and that they didn't have to compromise themselves too much to get it.
-------------------- "From a certain point of view" -Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi PM me with any cultivation questions. I just looked at my profile and realized I had a website at one point in time on geocities, it's not there anymore and I have no idea what I had on it. Anybody remember my website from several years aga? PM if so please.
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utopianglory
Spunkmuffin
Registered: 07/20/02
Posts: 965
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Re: PF pleads guilty! [Re: Twirling]
#1837952 - 08/21/03 04:05 PM (20 years, 6 months ago) |
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Its all heresay to be discussing "what he should have done" - time can bring about a level of complaincy that makes people sloppy and obviously more vulnerable. I sincerly doubt PF started his business growing his produce in his own house - if he did well then that wasn't extremely intelligent.
As for selling instructions, well in hindsight it is a bad idea but if he had not got caught many of us would be none the wiser. Personally I dont think his strong ascertions that he was the inventor of the M mushroom growing tek and community helped him. I mean he never did anything but say he was the big cheese (and many people disliked that tinge of arrogance) - no judgement here but it opens you up to be a big target when you are the self confessed big man.
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mycofile
Pooh-Bah
Registered: 01/18/99
Posts: 2,336
Loc: Uranus
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Well UG, it's not really hearsay. Back in like 99 or 2000, PF publicly joked about being staked out by the FBI, and saying that he's been growing and selling spores forever, if they haven't busted him yet, it's because they couldn't do anything. I think you hit the nail on the head with the arrogance thing. I guess his arrogance in other areas overpowered his common sense and desire for security.
Regardless none of that really matters. He's a man facing far more serious trouble than he deserves, even if he wasn't the smartest criminal, he doesn't deserve any time, much less as much as they could give him.
My thoughts may not have always been with him when he was in business, but they are now that he is a prisoner.
Much love, Professor.
-------------------- "From a certain point of view" -Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi PM me with any cultivation questions. I just looked at my profile and realized I had a website at one point in time on geocities, it's not there anymore and I have no idea what I had on it. Anybody remember my website from several years aga? PM if so please.
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