Pubdate: Sat, 25 Oct 2003 Source: Columbian, The (WA) Copyright: 2003 The Columbian Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.columbian.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/92 Author: Stephanie Rice Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids) JUDGE VOIDS DRUG CHARGES Felony drug charges against an Amboy-area man were dismissed Friday by a judge who earlier ruled that the Clark-Skamania Drug Task Force conducted an illegal raid. Michael Orick, 49, has no criminal record. In December, law officers discovered a sophisticated marijuana-growing operation in a man-made cavern on Orick's property. Earlier this month, Superior Court Judge Roger Bennett suppressed the evidence and said the search was illegal because detectives relied on information improperly acquired from Clark Public Utilities. On Friday, Bennett denied a prosecutor's motion to reconsider the ruling and dismissed the charges. Deputy prosecutor John Fairgrieve said he'll appeal. Should Bennett be overturned, Fairgrieve could refile the charges of manufacturing and possessing a controlled substance. Orick and his wife, 41-year-old Lori Orick, still face money-laundering charges, but those are expected to be dismissed as well as a result of Bennett's Oct. 8 ruling, said Lori Orick's attorney, Mark Muenster. Among the evidence suppressed were financial records that led detectives to conclude the Oricks were earning thousands of dollars selling marijuana. Michael Orick's attorney, Jon McMullen, successfully argued the search was illegal because it was in violation of a state law that details how a public utility can turn information over to law enforcement. One clue that Orick was growing marijuana was the revelation that he'd been diverting electricity to power the cavern's lights. The case against Orick began last year after an informant told the drug task force that he'd heard of someone named Mike who had an underground marijuana-growing operation. Detectives worked for six months to find the cavern, on Orick's 9 1/2 wooded acres near Amboy. Bennett said officers followed state law and wrote a letter requesting copies of Orick's utility records. After answering the initial request, however, the utility went on to provide even more information about Orick. Bennett said the utility should have waited for a second written request from officers. To turn over information prematurely, he said, was in violation of state law. Utility employees estimated that Orick diverted more than $25,000 in electricity to operate the 43 1,000-watt halide light bulbs found in the cavern. When detectives searched the 2,800-square-foot cavern on Dec. 12, 2002, they found bits of marijuana leaves but no plants. Orick, who owns an excavating business, allegedly told officers it took him about a month to dig out the cavern and about eight months to finish it. Plastic pipes provided ventilation, and one utility worker who examined the cavern remarked that the electrical outlets were wired to code, with one spaced every 12 feet. According to court documents, Orick also allegedly said that he was a lousy grower and the most plants he ever had at one time was 400, but had lost most of these due to an insect infestation. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom