Source: Orange County Register (CA) Contact: http://www.ocregister.com/ Pubdate: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 Author: John McDonald NEW CHARGE FILED VS. CANNABIS CO-OP FOUNDER Prosecutors say Marvin Chavez mailed 7 ounces of pot, a felony. Prosecutors filed a new charge Thursday against medical-marijuana advocate Marvin Chavez, alleging that he mailed 7 ounces of cannabis to a woman in Northern California. Central Municipal Court Judge Charles Margines set bail at $100,000 for Chavez, 41, director of the Orange County Cannabis C0-Op. Chavez contends that he distributes marijuana to people with medical needs, an activity he says is legal under Proposition 215. Prosecutors say Cahvez sells marijuana, a felony. Orange County Deputy District Attorney Carl Armburst leveled the new charge Thursday, based on a mail receipt and fax seized at Chavez's home during the execution of a search warrant this month. That evidence led U.S. postal inspectors to intercept a package sent to a woman in Northern California, which contained seven ounces of marijuana, he said. Armbrust said the new count, of transportation of marijuana, is significant because it is a clear-cut felony. The earlier charges involve quantities of less than an ounce, which would result in misdemeanor convictions if a jury finds that Chavez gave the marijuana away rather than sold it. Chavez's attorneys maintain he never charges for marijuana but accepts donations. But Chavez's lawyer, Jon Alexander, said all of the charges must be thrown out because of the protection of Prop. 215. Armbrust noted that Chavez violated a court order prohibiting him from distributing marijuana.