Go West, Young Pot Dealer!

This local sentencing story out of Buffalo, which is headlined “Pot dealer banished from state by judge,” prompted the green-leaf twist on the famous Hoarce Greeley saying in the title of this post.  Here are the details:

Brian M. Renaud, who pleaded guilty Wednesday to his second marijuana felony in six years, is being kicked out of New York State as part of a plea bargain approved by Niagara County Judge Sara Sheldon Sperrazza.

Renaud, 31, of Old Ransomville Road, Lewiston, admitted to a reduced charge of attempted second-degree criminal possession of marijuana. Sperrazza agreed to place him on probation as long as he leaves the state forever.

“Banishment is not something I do lightly or often,” the judge said. “His family has relocated, and he wants to move to California.”

She ordered Renaud to list his house for sale by June 30, the formal sentencing date.

Assistant District Attorney Susan B. Bjornholm said Renaud was arrested Dec. 15, 2008, after police raided his home and found him growing marijuana. They seized 3.84 pounds of it.

Renaud served three years in prison, starting in 2004, after police found 31 pounds of pot, packaged for sale, in another raid.