Pot Robbers Sentenced to 19 years

The contrasting cultures along our wonderful amber waves of grain are tremendous. From the hills of Northern California, past the bayous of the South to the smell of the Atlantic Ocean; our laws and culture couldn’t be more amusingly different.

From Mendicino County,

Ukiah Daily Journal Staff
A Sacramento resident was sentenced to 19 years of state prison on Friday by Judge Ron Brown in connection with a 2007 marijuana robbery in Willits.

Qwando Lecharles Tremble, 26, was convicted of residential robbery with use of a firearm, residential burglary, transportation of marijuana, with extra charges of having served a prior prison term, and a “strike” for a prior robbery.

According to the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office report, in July of 2007 Tremble was in Willits with two companions, Jodi Dutra and Lonnie McClain, looking for marijuana to purchase. The trio was at the home of an acquaintance of Dutra’s when another man arrived with five pounds of marijuana the owner wanted to sell for $4,000 per pound.

Instead of money, Tremble then pulled a pistol from a carry bag and took the marijuana at gunpoint from the possession of the two men. Tremble, Dutra and McClain then escaped with the marijuana.

At a jury trial held in early April, McClain was acquitted, but Tremble was convicted on all counts. Dutra pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and child endangerment and currently faces a five-year prison term.

Deputy District Attorney Katherine Houston prosecuted Tremble’s case while Al Kubanis served as attorney for the defense.

Tremble must serve 85 percent of the sentence before being eligible for parole

In some states, they would have prosecuted both for possession, seized the home of those who grew it, taken the children away, seized everyone’s cars, and given everyone 20 years. But in Mendocino county, they treat the home robbery as a “Home Robbery”.

With the exception of those 13 states with Medical Marijuana laws, it is still illegal to grow or possess marijuana. If this family had lived in a state where they weren’t protected, then it’s likely they would not have called police and these dangerous armed felons would still be on the street.