A marijuana activist accused of operating an unlicensed medical cannabis dispensary at his Fern Acres residence pleaded not guilty Monday to numerous charges. ADVERTISING A marijuana activist accused of operating an unlicensed medical cannabis dispensary at his Fern Acres residence
A marijuana activist accused of operating an unlicensed medical cannabis dispensary at his Fern Acres residence pleaded not guilty Monday to numerous charges.
Hilo Circuit Judge Greg Nakamura ordered 58-year-old Michael “Mike” Doyle Ruggles to appear for trial at 9 a.m. Feb. 16.
Deputy Prosecutor Joseph Lee estimated trial would take five to six weeks.
Ruggles, who operated the Alternative Pain Management Pu‘uhonua Collective, faces two counts each of first-degree commercial promotion of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, and one count each of first-degree promotion of a detrimental drug, first-degree promotion of a harmful drug and possessing a prohibited pistol magazine.
He is free on $36,000 bail.
