Eric Hagen, a 34-year-old Colorado cannabis consultant and CEO of Monarch America, helped the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe pursue one of the country’s first tribal cannabis resorts, a grow and consumption venue planned near Flandreau.[1][2] The tribe burned its first crop in November 2015 rather than risk a federal raid, and the state attorney general then had a grand jury charge Hagen with conspiracy to possess, possession by aiding and abetting, and attempted possession of more than 10 pounds of marijuana, carrying up to 10 years in prison on the first two counts.[1] His business partner Jonathan Hunt, more involved in the grow’s day-to-day operations, had already pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge, saying he could not afford to fight.[1]
At the four-day trial the prosecution portrayed Hagen as a puppet master running an illegal clandestine grow on tribal land, while defence lawyer Mike Butler argued there was no conspiracy because the tribe had openly legalised cannabis and toured lawmakers through the plans, and that Hagen only ever gave advice and never possessed the tribe’s marijuana.[1][2] The Moody County jury deliberated about two hours before finding Hagen not guilty on all three counts.[1][2] Hagen called the case a media ploy by an attorney general running for governor; the attorney general replied that marijuana grows of this nature threaten public health and safety on and off reservations.[1]
