Lobbyist gets 2 years in prison for Michigan marijuana bribery scheme
- A lobbyist in Michigan has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in bribing the head of a marijuana licensing board with $42,000.
- The lobbyist, Brian Pierce, cooperated with investigators in exposing Rick Johnson, who served as the head of the board and accepted $110,000 in bribes.
- Pierce, who worked as a lobbyist and consultant for politicians and the marijuana industry, conspired to bribe Johnson and even paid a stripper $2,000 to have sex with him as part of the corruption.
- The bribes corrupted the process for issuing licenses in Michigan's marijuana industry, which was legalized for medical purposes in 2008 and for recreational use in 2018.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A lobbyist responsible for $42,000 in bribes given to the head of a Michigan marijuana licensing board was sentenced Wednesday to two years in federal prison.
Brian Pierce cooperated with investigators in bagging the big target, Rick Johnson, who was formerly known as a powerful Republican lawmaker before leading the marijuana board in 2017-19.
The board reviewed and approved applications to grow and sell marijuana for medical purposes. Johnson was recently sentenced to more than four years in prison for accepting $110,000 when he was in charge.
Pierce, a lobbyist and consultant for politicians and the marijuana industry, was greedy and in a “dark place” when he conspired to bribe Johnson, defense attorney Ben Gonek said in a court filing.
Prosecutors said Pierce’s corruption included paying a Detroit stripper $2,000 to have sex with Johnson.
“Pierce’s bribes corrupted the process for the state’s issuance of licenses for businesses to operate in a new and lucrative industry,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher O’Connor said in a court filing.
Pierce’s partner, Vincent Brown, also faces sentencing Wednesday.
Michigan voters legalized marijuana for medical purposes in 2008. A decade later, voters approved the recreational use of marijuana.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer abolished the medical marijuana board a few months after taking office in 2019 and put oversight of the industry inside a state agency.