El Paso and Pueblo County Sheriff’s Offices serve warrants to take cash from popular dispensaries
SOUTHERN COLORADO, USA (KRDO) - The popular marijuana dispensary Maggie's Farm, is at the center of a dual-agency investigation as El Paso and Pueblo County Sheriff's deputies seized cash from multiple locations on Monday.
A locksmith based in Colorado Springs with Mason's Mobile Locksmith, tells KRDO13 that he and two of his coworkers were sent to three different Maggie's Farm locations early Monday morning, all at the same time, to help the sheriffs gain access to the businesses.
They were brought along, for what the Pueblo County Sheriff Office says was a "Till Tap", which is when a warrant is issued by a judge to seize cash from business or person, that they deem is owed to another person or business.
"They wanted to get it in there pretty quickly, as soon as we we got on site. So they got like crowbars and stuff and started yanking on doors." explained Tim Cheasebro, who was with deputies at the North Pueblo location Monday morning.
Cheasebro says his fellow employees were sent to the Maggies Farm locations in Manitou Springs, and on East Fillmore in Colorado Springs. He said that his colleague at the Manitou Springs location did not have to pick the lock to get inside, but rather an employee was there to let deputies inside.
In Pueblo however, Cheasebro says that he was working for upwards of 90 minutes.
"I did 11 doors and three, like, cabinets." Cheasebro said, adding that he was told to prepare to get into safes as well. "There was a lot of paperwork, a lot of records or whatever, really. I mean they had it piled all over the place in the hallway and in the stairway." he explained, on what he saw once inside the building.
Criminal defense lawyer Shawn Conti, who is based in Pueblo, says that the court-ordered Till Tap is not only very rare, but is usually used as a last resort within civil matters.
"So you got to go to the civil court Judge, [and say] 'So-and-so's' not paying me. I want my money'. The judge is going to look at your request for that till tap, [and then] that judge is going to sign it. Then you've got to take it to the sheriff. The Sheriff could execute it." said Conti.
Conti explained that it is rare because very few, if any, businesses carry much cash nowadays, instead opting to offer digital payment options for customers. However, businesses like marijuana dispensaries still mostly operate using cash, which suggests to Conti why the warrant was executed.
"Most businesses do not have have a cash register, and if there is a judgment against the business that has a cash register, that business is likely already out of business." explained Conti, on what would likely lead to the cash being seized.
KRDO13 has reached out multiple times by phone and email to Maggie's Farm and its CEO about why law enforcement was seizing money, but we have not yet heard back as of last updating this article.
