California Criminal Defense Blog

“Rawesome Food”…a private co-op market in Venice, California…has just been raided a second time by federal agents. The owners have been arrested on California conspiracy charges for producing milk without a license or permit. Despite the relatively minor alleged violation, federal agents raided the co-op with their guns drawn, ordering shoppers up against the back wall. This…the result of a yearlong sting operation…has resulted in a 13-count complaint against the group.

The money and manpower that have been put into this raid have led to public outrage and even political satire. Rawsome supporters have been protesting the raid and charges at the store and political comedian Steven Colbert even televised a segment about the issue on The Colbert Report.

California conspiracy charges are no joke. If convicted of conspiracy, the market owners would face the same penalties that they would face if convicted of the actual crime. And this is in addition to any other penalties they receive for convictions on the remaining counts.

Howard K. Stern, former boyfriend and lawyer to Anna Nicole Smith, was found guilty of two conspiracy charges by a Los Angeles jury…conspiracy to prescribe prescription drugs using fraudulent means and conspiracy to furnish prescription drugs to an addict. Both charges were based on incidents that ultimately led to Smith’s death in early 2007.

One of Smith’s former doctors, Khristine Eroshevich was also convicted of the same two charges, as well as two counts of obtaining a prescription for opiates using a false name. The two are scheduled to be sentenced on January 6, 2011. Both face at least three years in the California state prison.

A third defendant, Smith’s former doctor Sandeep Kapoor was cleared on all counts.