Pot grower sues former employee for theft

Worker allegedly absconded with 18 pounds of cannabis

One of New Mexico’s largest medical cannabis growers contends in a lawsuit that a former employee stole 18 pounds of pot worth at least $57,000 from its Albuquerque growing facility, and the firm wants compensation for the lost product.

Albuquerque police said Tuesday they are investigating the theft, which was reported to police in April by R. Greenleaf & Associates, a management firm that oversees three nonprofit medical cannabis producers licensed by the state.

Public records show that no criminal charges have emerged from the case so far.

“Currently, this case is being handled by APD’s Organized Crime Unit,” APD spokeswoman Celina Espinoza said in a written statement. “They are investigating and working diligently to pursue any possible criminal charges.”

Nor it is clear what became of the allegedly stolen pot. “We are still looking into that,” Espinoza said.

Greenleaf filed a lawsuit June 3 against Jordan Wallace alleging that he used his employee keys and access codes to enter Greenleaf’s production facility after hours on April 4 and remove 8,196 grams or about 18 pounds of cannabis from the building.

The Journal was unable to reach Wallace on Tuesday. A phone message and an email sent to his attorney, Robert Cole of Albuquerque, were not returned.

Greenleaf managers told police in April that they reviewed security video that showed Wallace “collecting marijuana in a bin and leaving the property,” according to an APD report.

When managers confronted Wallace, he allegedly admitted taking the cannabis and promised to return it, according to the lawsuit.

Instead, Wallace provided Greenleaf with “a smaller amount of a different cannabis product of lower quality and value,” the suit alleges. Cannabis is regulated by the state, which made the substituted product unusable to Greenleaf, it said.

The lawsuit seeks costs, punitive damages “and other relief” from Wallace.

Willie Ford, managing director of R. Greenleaf and Associates, declined to comment this week about the theft or the lawsuit.

R. Greenleaf and Associates LLC provides management oversight for three nonprofit producers licensed by the state, including R. Greenleaf Organics, Medzen Services and G&G Genetics.

DOH spokesman David Morgan said the agency plans to take no disciplinary action against Greenleaf, which reported the alleged theft to DOH’s medical cannabis program.