Pot Shop Ploan Goes Up In Smoke

by R.L. McCullough

SANTA BARBARA, CA–Tharon Paul Weighill, 45, half-owner of Sacred Mountain Marijuana Dispensary, believed his partner had embezzled $400,000 from their business.

Weighill developed a plan to quickly balance the books…a strategy that involved multiple felonies.

The plan was put into action when Weighill, his cousin Scott Patrick Weighill, and Lance Anthony Robles forcibly held the partner at knifepoint in the back room of the dispensary.  Using the knife and a hammer, they threatened the partner with physical injury and death unless he signed over his share of the business.  Fearing for his life, their victim signed their proffered document.

Weighill and his crew then relieved their victim of carkeys, $800 cash and a large duffle of marijuana.  Further demands for the disputed $400,000 continued, and the victim offered to escort his captors to his home where it could be retrieved.

While being escorted from his place of confinement, the victim escaped and contacted police.

Tharon Weighill and Scott Weighill were arrested on charges of false imprisonment, robbery, conspiracy, and extortion.  The third suspect, Lance Robles, remains at large on these charges as well as outstanding warrants.