In March, Michael Bennett Gardner Sr. pleaded guilty to one count of drug trafficking. Authorities had seized 3.6 metric tons of dried marijuana as well as 22,000 marijuana plants from his property. Prosecutors estimated the street value of his grow-op to be approximately $70 million.
In addition to his marijuana, police also discovered a cache of weapons and ammunition, according to Sunshine Coast Daily.
Gardner was sentenced to 13 years in prison, but now the man is asking for more jail time. On Friday, Gardner represented himself in court and appealed his sentence, arguing that he should be jailed for at least 20 years.
He believed that the court did not recognize the “full gravity” of his marijuana yield. The court rejected his appeal and Gardner’s sentence remains 13 years.
In June, Gardner revealed that he was growing the marijuana to raise money for anti-abortion campaigns in Australia.
Whether this was an ego-trip or Gardner felt guilty and truly wanted to serve the time he felt he deserved is unclear. The court felt he provided no evidence as to why he should spend more time in prison.
[Source]
Guardian said on Oct 27, 2012
What a idiot
Jumpman said on Oct 27, 2012
he has a point, 22,000 plants is a shit load and 3.6 ton dried product and all he got was 13 years? people in texas have got life in prison for only a few grams of weed and hash. i dont know why he'd ask for a longer sentence tho…
mistaflamestrain1 said on Oct 27, 2012
No one gets a life sentence for a few grams first of all. And dammmn 22,000 plants!! Stupidest thing I have ever heard of asking for a longer sentence… Seems fishy/ corrupt
NISMOTOKER said on Oct 27, 2012
20 years isn't that bad TBH dude was pushing serious fuckin weight . wanna play like the big boys gotta be responsible when your ass gets caught.
Max_Freedom said on Oct 29, 2012
He is a crazy person, and trying to be a martyr for his pro-life cause, just to get attention.
redlaser said on Oct 29, 2012
Maybe he thinks hes gonna be some kind of martyr by getting an extra 7 years, drawing more attention to his anti-abortion position. Can't really see that working out though, but he got in the news one more time, and it does mention anti-abortion, so maybe its worth it to him. Kind of what Max-Freedom said, or almost exactly
autoke420 said on Oct 29, 2012
lol this happened about an hour away from where i live… good thing most of the stuff in my area comes from other states…and growing illegal weed, to fund an anti abortion campaign, is one of the strangest things ive ever heard lol and it makes me wonder where this dudes buds were going because there wasnt a noticeable decrease in buds here….seems strange why would he ask for 7 more years in jail…..