BANGOR, Maine — The former pharmacist for the Penobscot Indian Nation’s defunct mail-order drug business has been charged with marijuana cultivation.
Reginald Gracie Jr., 40, of Bowdoin was arrested July 24 after police found 61 marijuana plants growing on his property, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Bangor.
Earlier this year, Gracie pleaded guilty to receiving more than $120,000 in kickbacks from six online companies in 2006 in return for making sure the tribe’s mail-order pharmacy, known as PIN Rx, filled the prescriptions of the companies’ customers. He also pleaded guilty to filing false corporate and individual tax returns.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on the federal charges Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Bangor. Gracie most likely will face a longer sentence for being charged with a crime while out on bail.
Before he was arrested for growing marijuana, Gracie faced between three years and five months, and four years and three months in prison under the federal sentencing guidelines. If U.S. District Judge John Woodcock determines Wednesday that Gracie violated his plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office by growing marijuana, the ex-pharmacist could face between four years and nine months, and five years and 11 months in federal prison.
“The defendant told the arresting officers that he grew the marijuana for ‘entertainment and for the science of it’ and also to distribute the drugs to someone who was purportedly suffering from lung cancer,” a supplemental sentencing memorandum filed by the U.S. attorney’s office said. “However, the defendant also admitted to the officers that he was not in compliance with the state laws and regulations governing medical marijuana.”
Gracie agreed on July 27 to be held without bail pending the outcome of his case rather than be subject to a hearing to revoke his personal recognizance bail. Information about where he is being held was not available Tuesday morning.
Marijuana cultivation is a Class D crime in Maine punishable by up to a year in state prison and a fine of up to $2,000.
He is scheduled to be arraigned on that charge on Sept. 18 in West Bath District Court.
He may very well end up at large Federal prison in order to get a position in a Pharmacy. The smaller facilities don’t have their own drug stores.
The guy is 40, I’m going to go out on a limb and say this guy was brought up with hippie parents (Prof Plumb and Miss Scarlett) conceived in the VW mini-bus (Billiard room) with the influence of mind altering drugs (with the candlestick, you know cause you need something to light the bong with) Of course none of which has any bearing on his abilities as a teacher. Ethics, yes, teaching ability, no.
Oh, you made me laugh!!!
I never said his teaching abilities were bunk though. I just found it sad that various schools hired a man with those ethics to teach.
Making sweeping generalizations about a person’s upbringing is fun!
It would seem to me that a job as a pharmacist is a decent, secure living. What a waste of a good life. It’s sad. All over greed.
So once doctors start growing it we’re still told by “experts” that cannabis holds no medical value? What a farce!
He was a challenging and dedicated professor. He taught complicated material with a sense of humor and held high
expectations for his students. If he was still teaching at a school I attended, I’d sign up for another class with him in a heartbeat, expecting to have to study hard and apply myself.
Apparently when he taught you, he must have been a decent guy. When he was my teacher, he was a pompous, egotistical, jack@$$. He had this god complex and acted as though he was better than everyone. I waited to take classes until I knew he wouldn’t be the teacher.
He was abusive to colleagues, also.
Sadly David, that doesn’t surprise me :(
scammin and growin smoke what will they think of next
Just can’t make this stuff up. I’m gonna call my 87 year mother and yell at her about the way she raise me. Look at all the good stuff I missed in life.
say it isn’t so, he took kick backs?
Taking kick backs…..is he a politician as well?
Was this Nutting’s brother?
This is my brother. I love him dearly. Yes he has made some mistakes in his life but really who hasn’t? He is a very strong family man and an asset to our family. However long he has to be gone for my family’s hearts will ache. He is not a danger or threat to society. He took kick backs and grew some pot plants… Neither crime deserves harsh punishment… pedophiles get lesser punishments then this.
This is my brother. I love him dearly. Yes he has made some mistakes in his life but really who hasn’t? He is a very strong family man and an asset to our family. However long he has to be gone for my family’s hearts will ache. He is not a danger or threat to society. He took kick backs and grew some pot plants… Neither crime deserves harsh punishment… pedophiles get lesser punishments then this.
Raised by hippie parents? – Thats why he is a well educated man with high ambitions right? He was raised by an army veteran that worked hard to give his family everything they could possible want/need. Lets not throw out ignorant comments about facts you dont have.
Selling to his students? -That is completely inaccurate. He was very dedicated and devoted to the success of all those that he taught. Yes, some may view him as arrogant but he knew the material inside and out and was hard on his students so they would learn the material as well. Im sorry to those that could not rise to his standards and feel the need to criticize.
I agree w/his sister. Its so sad to punish him so harshly for this minor crap, while Peds & even murderers get less time! Our system is so F’d! Sad but true. I had him as a teacher as well, and had no issues w/him. Yes, his class was hard but this is a GOOD thing! He knows what he is doing for sure! I feel bad for him and his family to have to go thru all of this! :( ….Good Luck Reg!