Pot publisher Emery gives up fight, expects U.S. jail time

Marc Emery, the self-styled "Prince of Pot" expects to spend the next 5 to 8 years in a US federal prison, as he gives up his fight against extradition for selling marijuana seeds through the mails.

Emery, the erstwhile publisher of Cannabis Culture magazine, had been resisting extradition, but says he has now concluded that he would lose and decided not to fight it, according to a story in The Tyee. He did say he would seek transfer to a Canadian prison to serve his time.

Emery was first arrested in July 2005 in Halifax, after RCMP executed a warrant issued by the Western District of Washington, following an 18-month U.S. investigation into his marijuana seed selling business.

Emery and his co-defendants were charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to distribute marijuana seeds and conspiracy to engage in money laundering, charges that carried penalties ranging from 10 years to life in prison.

In April, Emery's co-defendants, Michelle Rainey and Greg Williams, agreed to a plea agreement involving a sentence of two years probation.

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• Hard choice may lead to hard time for pop publisher Emery