Causey woman claims marijuana was for personal medicinal use

A Causey woman said the 150 pounds of marijuana Roosevelt County Sheriff’s deputies confiscated from her home Monday was being used strictly for treatment of chronic pain and illness.

Margie Koger, 48, and her husband Timothy Koger, 42, were arrested Wednesday on a bench warrant two days after deputies seized the marijuana, which included 16 gallon-sized bags and jars of harvested buds, from the kitchen of the residence and from an outbuilding located behind the residence

“I couldn’t afford to apply for a New Mexico license yet. It has been my goal,” Margie Koger said. “I want people to know that I am a medical patient and that I’m not a criminal. I’ve never had any kind of speeding ticket or anything. I never intended to break the law.”

A New Mexico grower’s license allows for the production — up to 150 plants — and distribution of medical marijuana.

Chief Deputy Malin Parker said the sheriff’s office received an anonymous phone tip about a possible marijuana growing operation.

He said in addition to the marijuana, deputies also found growing manuals and lighting equipment, supporting the idea of the operation being long term.

“It was not a real elaborate operation but it was an effective one,” Parker said.

Koger said she was prescribed medical marijuana in California after a vehicle accident in 1996, which caused severe brain and spinal damage, causing her to have to learn to walk and read again.

She said the physical therapy she received helped, but she still suffers from scoliosis and severe migraines, among other things. She said the marijuana relieves the pain.

The Kogers, who were charged with possession of more than eight ounces of marijuana, a fourth-degree felony, bonded out of the Roosevelt County Detention Center on a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

“We appreciate all tips from citizens and act on them according to the laws of New Mexico in the most efficient manner possible in all cases,” Parker said.