Md. company co-founders facing charges for alleged marijuana grow operation

The personal consumption of medical cannabis that is grown and distributed through state licensed facilities has been legal in the state of Maryland. The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission just recently announced 15 growers who have been pre-approved for a license.

However, one company's co-founders that were in the running, but did not make that list is now facing charges for an alleged marijuana grow operation.

The company is Blue Crab Botanicals. In September of 2015, 47 ABC spoke to Robin Hurni and Doctor Eva Dickinson, who are both co-founders of Blue Crab Botanicals. Last year they were hoping to get licensed to grow medical cannabis. During their interview, they showed 47 ABC their lab and a private garage where they planned to grow the cannabis if they were approved, but more recently  the two are now facing charges for allegedly running a marijuana grow operation.

According to the court documents, these charges stem from when a reported marijuana grow was discovered at Hurni's residence by Maryland State Police while they were investigating a burglary in July. Based on the court documents,  it remains unclear if the residence where the marijuana plants were discovered was the same location where the burglary took place.

However the documents do outline that officials did receive consent to search Hurni's residence, and  that's were they reportedly found 5 marijuana plants and 34 grams of lose marijuana.

Also on a separate occasion,  a search and seizure was issued at Dickinson's residence where the Caroline County Drug Task Force reportedly found two indoor marijuana grows and 9 plants growing around the garage.

According to the documents, during a post Miranda interviews Hurni did not claim ownership of the items seized.

When 47 ABC was out on the field Monday afternoon, crew members ran into Robin. Although she declined to comment on camera, she did tell us off camera that she believes this investigation points out issues in the state's medical marijuana licensing application process.

Hurni believes that of state entries tend to be pre-approved, which it does not allow for smaller in state companies to receive these licensing opportunities.

A trial date has been set for Hurni has been set for March 23rd, however no date for Dickinson has been set yet.