Owner says marijuana was for medicinal purposes

GAMBRILLS, Md. - You can’t mistake the adult-sized pot plants growing in Nicholas Dominick’s back yard, but he claims it was for his own medicinal use.

"Back pain issues... I had surgery on my neck for cervical fusion and I can't take medications and pain pills and stuff like that," said Dominick.

But Anne Arundel County Police see it differently---a virtual field of marijuana, concealed by a six foot high fence with lattice and black plastic sheeting… all located within a thousand feet of Arundel High School.

Toss in two dozen guns, including an AK-47 assault rifle, and they suspect far more than a man seeking a home remedy for what ailed him.

"We have no information that it was for medical purposes,” said Captain Randy Jones of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, “46 plants and all the plants were between five and six feet tall---a large amount of marijuana, too much for single consumption by one individual."

"You might think so, but it was storage for a year until next year I could harvest again,” said Dominick, “None of it ever left the property.  That's the issue.  None of it ever left the property, and I never have any guests.  I'm basically a hermit."

At this point, police have no evidence that Dominick sold any of the pot to students, teachers or anyone else for that matter, but they’re looking for any ties to a distribution ring.
 
"(I’m) angry.  I bother nobody.  I help people around the neighborhood constantly,” said Dominick, “You can ask any of the neighbors.  They think I'm a great neighbor.  I'm the one that runs the snow blower up and down when we have a blizzard so the elderly couple down there can get an ambulance in and out, and basically I feel like I'm being harassed."

For now, Dominick is a free man after posting a $25,000 bond.

Under Maryland law, anyone caught using marijuana for medical purposes faces a maximum find of $100 and a year in jail, but that’s for an ounce or less.

It’s still considered a mitigating factor if the amount exceeds that.