Canada invites Teller County’s Sheriff to visit

The success of Teller County’s increased enforcement of illegal marijuana this year has caught the attention of Canadian authorities who legalized recreational pot in their country this summer.

KRDO NewsChannel 13 confirmed Tuesday that Sheriff Jason Mikesell has accepted an invitation to visit the province of Ontario and offer guidance to authorities about enforcement.

Mikesell plans to be in Canada on Thanksgiving weekend. He is making the trip on his own, not in an official county capacity, so taxpayers won’t pay for it.

Other details were not provided and Mikesell declined to be interviewed on the matter.

Sheriff’s Cmdr. Greg Couch said Canada invited Mikesell after the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation came to Teller County earlier this year and produced a special report on the county’s enforcement effort.

To watch that report, visit: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1240650819760.

Mikesell set a goal of busting 30 illegal marijuana operations and the total so far is more than 20 after a raid last weekend at a home in Florissant.

A suspect arrested in that raid, Brandon Strausser, is accused of having five times the legal number of marijuana plants.

Strausser, 31, is now free on bond and told KRDO NewsChannel 13 that he’s not a criminal, and that he was growing marijuana for his own medical use.

“I know the number of plants you’re supposed to have and I admit I don’t have a (medical marijuana) card,” he said.

Mikesell previously said Cuban cartels are heavily involved in illegal marijuana operations within the county.