Our home after the raid

On December 16th, 2022, one of New Jersey's top educator and researcher in the cannabis industry was held at gunpoint, raided, arrested and booked into Morris County jail. He was never given any opportunity to address or change the issues that the police had since he never received a cease-and-desist letter as he should have been. He is still currently incarcerated and has no option for bail. Scott Begraft, a well-known business owner of Canna Campus in Sussex and Warren counties is loved and supported by his community. Scott first opened in 2019 bringing the great benefits that CBD has to offer as the need for access was in demand in Sussex County. After being in business for a few years Scott developed close relationships with his customers and trying to help them the best he could while following state and federal laws. Although CBD has been helpful to many, he shortly learned how the need for stronger cannabis was greatly needed to help his community who suffered with many medical conditions. When New Jersey legalized the personal and recreational use of THC, Scott was finally able to bring it into his store. Although Marijuana has many rules and regulations on the distribution, Scott was not wanting to sell it as a product and since bringing it in he hasn’t been sold as such. He studied how to safely and legally provide his customers with the great benefits THC has by offering a " Nature heals Consultation program” The customers were able to inform their consulting specialist with their medical issues and needs as the specialist recommended the right strain and strength that would help remedy their health issue. Since Cannabis comes in many strains, strengths and formulations customers usually have to go through a “trial-and-error” phase until they find what works best for them. Everyone reacts differently and there is no one size fits all when it comes to cannabis. With all the researching Scott has done over the years he knew that someone who wanted to treat their medical condition with cannabis rather than risk adding to the opioid epidemic would be in the need of assistance and consulting. After the consultation the customer receives a sample of the suggested strain and is informed to return to be given another sample strain until the right one is found for them. By this process of trial and error the members of his community don’t have to take over an hour drive and pay the high costs from a dispensary to repeatedly get different strains until the right one is found for them. Scott isn’t your typical business owner. He is very generous by helping those who are financially hurting and are unable to afford what is needed to help treat their medical conditions. He has many elderly clients who he not only helps financially but he delivers the products right to their homes. Scott has been certified in all aspects of cannabis such as becoming a CBD professional and advisor and completing a of Endocannabinoid science program by the American Journal of Endocannabinoid. In early 2022 Scott had a customer who  was a down on his luck guy that needed not only employment but a place to live.  For legal reason we will call him “Mr.X”. After he came to the store a few times he asked Scott if he was looking to hire anyone. It turned out he was. Scott not only hired him, he also invited him to stay with him. After a few months of working in the store and in need of someone to overlook the day-to-day functions, handle the staff and scheduling and report to Scott with the store needs. Scott was dealing with a lot of personal issues which kept him from being at the store during business hours but felt he could trust his new hire to make sure everything was running smoothly. Undenounced to Scott, Mr.X started his own business by stealing product from the store and selling to people outside the store illegally. Not only did he illegally sell marijuana, but he also manufactured hashish and sold it to Scott’s customers in his store. He also was found to be in possession of cocaine and offered it to a woman that he didn’t know was an undercover detective. Scott had absolutely no knowledge of this and would never allow that if he did. Due to his illegal distribution it led to Scott’s business, Canna Campus in Sparta, NJ and his home where he invited him to stay rent free was raided and destroyed. At 4:00 Am December 15th, 2022, Scott and his fiancé were woken up in sheer terror by 20+ state police breaking down the door and drawing their guns at them while they were sleeping. They immediately were forced against the wall and handcuffed. Due to the fact the couple had no knowledge of Mr.X’s illegal activities they were extremely frightened and confused on why the police just busted into their home. It took a few hours of search every part of their home, invading their privacy, breaking Christmas decorations and destroying the house. The couple lived on the second floor and Mr.X was on the bottom floor which was also being searched and destroyed at the same time. Scott was taking into the police vehicle without a chance to say goodbye or get dressed properly since he wasn’t wearing clothes for mid-December weather. His fiancé was questioned and due to the fact, she was not involved in the business and was 7 weeks pregnant the detectives decided to not take her to jail and release her instead. Since she had nowhere to go, she asked the detectives if she could grab the money out of her wallet and her nightstand. They told her that her money is now a part of the investigation, and they were confiscating it. She was forced to leave her home so they could do a full search of the house. She was left with no place to go, no money for food and pregnant. Unfortunately, the next morning she suffered a miscarriage and had to go through it alone while Scott had no knowledge of the loss of his child. The doctor believes the crazy amount of stress, not eating or sleeping was too much on her body and caused the loss of her baby. She figured Scott would be out in a day or two since he was not involved of any illegal activities. She prayed she didn’t have to spend Christmas alone and could spend with her love mourning the lost of their child together. Sadly, she has spent Christmas, New year’s, valentines’ day, her birthday and easter alone. “I finally find my soulmate, the love of my life and half our relationship we have been forced to be separated since he is locked up “. It’s been 4 months now and Scott has had multiple attempts to get released and has been denied every time. The judges have stated he is a danger to society. When he has always been a law-abiding citizen. There is a list of multiple issues with his case that should at least allow him to be home until he has court. He has been charged with Maintaining or operating a controlled dangerous substance production facility twice which is a first-degree crime. All manufacturing equipment was found in Mr.X’s bedroom of the house. Charged twice for Transaction with property from criminal activity. Charged four times for Manufacturing, Distributing or Dispensing. Possession, Use or Being Under the Influence, or Failure to Make Lawful Disposition. They have zero evidence to support these charges against Scott. Mr.X was caught transporting drugs from the house to the store and from the store to the house. Scott didn’t transport any controlled substances. Mr.X’s was the one who sold drugs to an undercover detective. Scott never held or sold any marijuana or cocaine to anyone. Again, that’s why there’s no evidence of this. The only thing he should have been charged with is possession. Since Scott did have at the home a box full of jars marijuana strands that he was saving and researching to open a cannabis museum. The detectives are charging him with more than 25 pounds of marijuana which is completely inaccurate. They got that calculation by adding 2 garbage bags full of legal hemp, $50,000 of LEGAL gummies and vapes that were taken from the shelves of his store and the small amount of actual marijuana he had in the store for the consultation program. The real amount of marijuana is under 5 pounds. But due to the lack of knowledge from the detective and prosecutor, they are insisting it is marijuana. The prosecutor stated “there is a big difference between hemp and marijuana by the look and smell and this is clearly marijuana. Anyone who is familiar with cannabis knows that hemp and marijuana are very similar by the appearance and scent due to the fact they both come from the same plant. Just because they are two different species of the cannabis plant doesn’t not alter the look or smell or it. The complete evidence for Scott that they currently have is 2 garbage bag full of LEGAL hemp since he is an owner of a CBD store, and jar of marijuana strains he was researching . However according to the new cannabis bills signed by governor murphy he shouldn't be in jail. It's not right that Scott is given all the same charges when all the evidence is on Mr.x . Not only that but Mr.X has a long list of criminal activity while Scott doesn’t. How would you feel if your roommate started selling drugs without your knowledge and you get arrest and charged for someone else’s crimes just because you’re under the same roof. How is this right? It’s not, its unconstitutional. Sussex county is using evidence on someone else to charge another person. Besides that, they are being very unjust. Last week the couple started celebrating that he was about to get released since the lab reports for the marijuana came back inconclusive. Which shows they don’t have the evidence to hold him anymore. The judge said the lab reports show they tested the gummies from the store. The judge is not reading the report correctly. The lab reports are for the “flower” which did come back inconclusive. He is stating we can’t use the lab report as evidence since they are for gummies. The lack of knowledge in the cannabis field is what is keeping Scott locked up. As Scott remains in jail he has seen criminals with assault charges, domestic violence charges, high cocaine possession charges, be booked and released in just a few days. They are clearly criminals who are a danger to society but Scott with possession of marijuana is more dangerous and unable to be released. So, a loved business owner is stuck in jail for someone else’s crimes and misinterpretation of lab reports. Marijuana is legal and they are treating him like a thug on the streets. Scott and his fiancé need your help! Let’s get Scott home! Please sign this petition in support of his release!