--- title: "$13M Maine Raid Contested: It's Hemp, Not Marijuana" description: $13M Maine raid trial debates if seized plants were legal Hemp or illegal marijuana, highlighting challenges in distinguishing between the two. image: https://420intel.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/The%20image%20depicts%20a%20courtroom%20scene%20filled%20with%20tension%20and%20anticipation%20In%20the%20foreground%20a%20long%20wooden%20table%20is%20occupied%20by%20defense%20attorneys%20and%20th-1.png --- [![420intel.com](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%2016-1.png?width=300&height=162&name=Asset%2016-1.png "420intel.com")](https://420intel.com) - [Home](https://420intel.com) - [Advertise](https://420intel.com/advertise) - [Directory](https://420intel.com/directory) - [Topics](https://420intel.com/blog) - [Recreational News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/recreational-cannabis-news) - [Business News](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-business-news) - [Politics](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-politics) - [Technology](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-technology-news) - [Research](https://420intel.com/tag/medical-cannabis-news) - [Contact](https://420intel.com/contact-us) - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/420-intel/) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://x.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) ### Press ESC to close [![420intel.com](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Asset%2016-1.png?width=300&height=162&name=Asset%2016-1.png "420intel.com")](https://420intel.com) - [Home](https://420intel.com) - [Advertise](https://420intel.com/advertise) - [Directory](https://420intel.com/directory) - [Topics](https://420intel.com/blog) - [Recreational News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/recreational-cannabis-news) - [Business News](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-business-news) - [Politics](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-politics) - [Technology](https://420intel.com/tag/cannabis-technology-news) - [Research](https://420intel.com/tag/medical-cannabis-news) - [Contact](https://420intel.com/contact-us) - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/420-intel/) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://x.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) # $13M Maine Raid Contested: It's Hemp, Not Marijuana - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - [Cannabis Laws](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-laws) - 13 November 2025 The federal government brought down a legal **Hemp** grow, not a black market marijuana operation, in Franklin County four years ago, a defense attorney argued Wednesday at the start of a trial. Lucas Sirois allegedly ran a multimillion-dollar black market marijuana operation. His father, Robert Sirois, is also accused of being involved in maintaining the operation. Their six-day jury trial started Wednesday morning in U.S. District Court of Maine in Bangor. The trial is the final legal chapter of an alleged conspiracy to sell pot illegally in Maine that ultimately led to charges against 13 people in 2021. A local selectman, an assistant district attorney, and two former Franklin County Sheriff’s deputies eventually pleaded guilty to felonies as part of the scheme. It wasn’t marijuana the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized during the **Maine raid**, defense attorney Eric Postow said. Instead, it was **Hemp**. Both products are derived from the cannabis sativa plant, and faulty government testing produced incorrect results, Postow said. The government’s tests heated plant samples, which can change **Hemp** from non-psychoactive to psychoactive, he explained. The government maintains that marijuana was at the center of the investigation, which will be proven by lab testing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew McCormack said. More than 20 boxes labeled “DEA evidence” line the side of the courtroom, each containing multiple envelopes of seized marijuana, Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah Faulk said. Lucas Sirois is alleged to be the ringleader of the operation. He was licensed to grow medical marijuana in Maine and is charged with conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana; conspiracy to defraud the U.S.; bank fraud; and tax evasion. His father, Robert Sirois, faces related charges.   Former Rangeley selectman David Burgess testified that the product they grew and sold was not **Hemp**, claiming about 56 marijuana plants were grown and 80 pounds processed weekly at the old “Shoe Shop” factory. Burgess pleaded guilty to related felony charges and has testified about managing cash flow and operations. During the **Maine raid**, the FBI seized more than 2,900 plants and numerous pounds of processed marijuana. DEA Agent Jonathan Richards noted that it’s challenging to distinguish between marijuana and **Hemp** visually, emphasizing that lab tests are required to determine the plant type. This high-profile case underscores the challenges law enforcement faces when **Hemp** and marijuana look identical. The ongoing trial continues to examine evidence from the **Maine raid** to clarify the distinction between legal **Hemp** and illegal marijuana in Franklin County.   [by Bangor Daily News](https://www.bangordailynews.com/2025/11/12/central-maine/central-maine-police-courts/sirois-marijuana-conspiracy-trial/)   [Cannabis Laws](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-laws) [Marijuana legalization](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/marijuana-legalization) ![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=200&height=200&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) #### [Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) At 420 Intel, we cover cannabis legalization news throughout the world, offer reliable information for cannabis business owners, detail technological advances that impact the marijuana industry, cover marijuana rallies from across the globe, and everything in between. - - - [Marijuana legalization](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/marijuana-legalization) [![Marijuana Distribution: Two Arrested](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/erik-mclean-TbWjlEr_UTw-unsplash.jpg?width=550&height=395&name=erik-mclean-TbWjlEr_UTw-unsplash.jpg)](https://420intel.com/blog/marijuana-distribution-two-arrested) - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - 28 August 2025 #### [Marijuana Distribution: Two Arrested](https://420intel.com/blog/marijuana-distribution-two-arrested) A routine traffic stop in Lincoln Parish escalated into a serious arrest involving suspected **...** [Cannabis Business News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-business-news) [![Bright Green owes $104M for unpaid shares](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/elsa-olofsson-12-Zs1xIEtA-unsplash-1.jpg?width=550&height=395&name=elsa-olofsson-12-Zs1xIEtA-unsplash-1.jpg)](https://420intel.com/blog/bright-green-owes-104m-for-unpaid-shares) - [![Buzz](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png?width=80&height=80&name=Buzz-No%20Outline-2.png) Buzz](https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz) - 17 November 2025 #### [Bright Green owes $104M for unpaid shares](https://420intel.com/blog/bright-green-owes-104m-for-unpaid-shares) The cannabis industry is no stranger to controversy, but few cases have drawn as much attention as... [Cannabis Business News](https://420intel.com/blog/tag/cannabis-business-news) [![Big name Marijuana brands dive into intoxicating Hemp products](https://420intel.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Big%20name%20Marijuana%20brands%20dive%20into%20intoxicating%20Hemp%20products.jpg?width=550&height=395&name=Big%20name%20Marijuana%20brands%20dive%20into%20intoxicating%20Hemp%20products.jpg)](https://420intel.com/blog/big-name-marijuana-brands-dive-intoxicating-hemp-products) - [Admin](https://420intel.com/blog/author/admin) - 7 March 2024 #### [Big name Marijuana brands dive into intoxicating Hemp products](https://420intel.com/blog/big-name-marijuana-brands-dive-intoxicating-hemp-products) ## Historically, marijuana companies avoided the hemp market. There’s a small but growing trend of... - [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/420intel) - [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/420intel) - [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/420intel) Back to Top ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Buzz", "url" : "https://420intel.com/blog/author/buzz" }, "dateModified" : "2025-11-13T15:54:49.003Z", "datePublished" : "2025-11-13T15:54:49.000Z", "headline" : "$13M Maine Raid Contested: It's Hemp, Not Marijuana", "image" : [ "https://420intel.com/hubfs/AI-Generated%20Media/Images/The%20image%20depicts%20a%20courtroom%20scene%20filled%20with%20tension%20and%20anticipation%20In%20the%20foreground%20a%20long%20wooden%20table%20is%20occupied%20by%20defense%20attorneys%20and%20th-1.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://420intel.com/blog/13m-maine-raid-contested-its-hemp-not-marijuana", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://420intel.com/hubfs/Asset%2016.png" }, "name" : "420 Intel" } } ```