The former Narrow Gauge marijuana cultivation facility on High Street in Farmington was partly owned by Lucas Sirois of Rangeley. A federal judge on Friday denied Sirois’ request to use medical marijuana while on bail in an alleged illicit marijuana growing operation and money laundering scheme. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal 2021 file photo

FARMINGTON — A federal judge has denied a Rangeley man’s request to use medical marijuana for health reasons while on bail in an alleged illicit marijuana growing operation and money laundering scheme.

Magistrate Judge John Nivison heard Lucas Sirois’ motion April 13 at U.S. District Court in Bangor, which was held via video hearing. It was denied Friday.

A 2021 federal complaint alleges the former Farmington resident was the leader of the operation in the Franklin County area. He and co-conspirators took in more than $13 million over six years through the illicit sale of marijuana, according to the complaint.

Sirois pleaded not guilty to a 15-count indictment in November 2021 that included complaints against three businesses he partly owns, including Narrow Gauge in Farmington. Ten others named in the indictment also pleaded not guilty. Two others not named in the indictment pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Sirois structured his operations to appear as though they complied with Maine’s medical marijuana laws while he regularly sold bulk marijuana on the illicit market, including more than $1 million worth of marijuana for out-of-state distribution between 2018 and 2019, according federal prosecutors.

Marijuana use is illegal by federal law, but it is legal in Maine.

On Oct. 28, 2021, the U.S. District Court in Bangor ordered Sirois to follow certain conditions of release pending conclusion of this case.

“The order requires that defendant not use marijuana and ‘not violate federal, state, or local law,'” according to Nivison’s order. The Maine law that permits the use of medical marijuana “does not override the federal requirements for conditions of pretrial release — where federal law and state law provide contradictory directives, federal law controls,” the order states.

Sirois’ attorney, Timothy Parlatore, had requested release conditions be amended.

Parlatore gave three options: Permit Sirois to continue using his physician-prescribed cannabis medicine; direct that he not be sanctioned for such use as long as it complies with Maine law; or direct that pretrial services not file any violation petition based solely on a urinalysis test indicating positive for THC, given legal hemp derivatives.

U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee and U.S. Assistant Attorney Noah Falk opposed the motion to modify conditions of his release.

The “court should enforce the existing terms of supervision and the federal law by continuing to prohibit the defendant’s use of medical marijuana,” according to their response. The “Controlled Substances Act contains no exceptions — express or implied — for medically prescribed marijuana,” according to prosecutors.

One of Sirois’ mandatory release conditions is that he not violate federal, state or local law while on release. The conditions include not using or possessing controlled substances unless prescribed by a medical professional. The condition explicitly excludes the use of marijuana “even with a prescription,” according to Nivison’s order.