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Ex-cop turned legal pot farmer claims he’s bigger dealer than ‘anyone sitting in prison’

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Ex-cop turned legal pot farmer claims he’s bigger dealer than ‘anyone sitting in prison’

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Kyle Kazan is a former Los Angeles Police Department officer who once had to arrest a man he pulled up next to at a red light who had a marijuana plant sticking out of his convertible with the top down.

“We stopped at the red light, and he had a giant plant in the back seat of his car,” Kazan told Fox News Digital. “And then, when I looked at him, people are laughing. I mean it was so ridiculous. And then he saluted me.”

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Now Kazan’s one of the biggest legal pot growers in the country, the co-founder and CEO of Glass House Brands, which he says produces more than 600,000 pounds of weed a year and expects to break the million mark soon. 

The company owns 6 million square feet of greenhouse space, he said, but is using less than half of that.

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Glass House Brands co-founder and CEO Kyle Kazan speaks via Zoom about the fairness of his sprawling legal marijuana business with thousands of nonviolent pot deals behind bars around the U.S. (Fox News Digital)

After breaking into the legal pot business with some shady partners, including an associate of the infamous LA mogul Suge Knight, Kazan said he cleaned things up, attracted legitimate investors and cultivated a California powerhouse.

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But there’s a darker side of the legalized pot business, says the man who has delivered public speeches while wearing a shirt declaring, “No one should be in prison for a plant.”

Thousands of people are serving felony prison sentences for nonviolent marijuana dealing that pale in comparison to the scale of his operation.

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Thriving marijuana plants pack the Glass House greenhouse in southern California. (Glass House Brands)

“Justice, then, certainly isn’t blind now, is it?” Kazan said.

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According to Kazan’s estimate, there are between 2,700 and 3,000 people imprisoned on marijuana distribution charges in federal prisons. There are thousands more in state prisons. The Last Prisoner Project, a Colorado-based nonprofit, estimates that in 2018 there were 32,000 inmates around the country on cannabis-related charges.

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That’s just wrong, Kazan argued, especially when none of those people moved anywhere near as much weight as his company.

An exterior photo of a row of Glass House Brands greenhouses in southern California. CEO Kyle Kazan says the company owns 6 million square feet of greenhouse space for its legal marijuana farming. (Glass House Brands)

He takes the issue seriously and has even flown across the country to speak on behalf of nonviolent marijuana dealers facing decades in prison.

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“I flew down to the federal courthouse in Augusta, (Georgia), at the request of a guy named Jose Valero Jr. in 2022, because he reached out to me on social media and said, ‘I’m taking a plea. I’m going to get sentenced,’” Kazan told Fox News Digital. 

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Valero was facing three charges related to eight pounds of pot, Kazan said. That’s about as much as he might sweep off the floor in one of his greenhouses and throw out on a given day, he said.

“That’s what I point out, like the judge, the defendant, everybody could own – legally – my stock with a Charles Schwab account, right now, from the courthouse,” he said. “And you’re sentencing this young man?”

Weldon Angelos, Bella Thorne, Kyle Kazan and Supa Peach pose before participating in a panel during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals at Austin Convention Center March 19, 2022, in Austin, Texas. (Gary Miller/Getty Images for Glass House Brands)

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He is calling for clemency for nonviolent dealers as well as reasonable regulations for the marijuana industry. And he has slammed politicians in both parties, especially President Biden, over the number of pot dealers still incarcerated today.

“Mr. Biden, unfortunately, has not wavered in his commitment to keeping people in prison, unless you’re a famous WNBA player sitting in Mr. Putin’s prison. And I’m happy she’s home, and I’m happy that he went to bat for her,” he said, wagging a pen in front of a camera. 

“But you don’t have to trade away a merchant of death when you have this, and you just need 3,000 signatures to end it.”

LAWYER FOR CALIFORNIA WOMAN AVOIDING JAIL IN MARIJUANA STABBING STANDS BY ‘PSYCHOTIC’ DEFENSE: ‘NOT A CON JOB’

He said marijuana users should be treated like alcohol users — allowed to partake legally but limited to reasonable, safe behavior.

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“San Francisco and the craziness in our state has made a mockery of my argument because they’re saying, ‘Oh, you just want people splayed out in the streets, and you want needles in parks where kids play,” he said. “No, I don’t. I also don’t want people out there running around with a beer, drinking in public. There needs to be some laws around this, but you can do this in a sane, rational way.”

Glass House Brands CEO Kyle Kazan says the legal marijuana grower produces more than 600,000 pounds of pot a year, far more than any dealer sitting in prison. (Glass House Brands)

Kazan also weighed in on a recent high-profile case involving a woman who fell into a “marijuana-induced psychosis” after smoking a high-potency strain of boutique pot, then fatally stabbed her boyfriend and plunged the knife into her own neck multiple times before police arrived.

He compared the high THC content she consumed to Jack Daniel’s whiskey having more alcohol than a beer.

 

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“It’s a lot less potent, but when you drink enough of it, you’re going to get to the same place,” he said.

He said he disagreed with the outcome of her trial, in which she was acquitted.

“It needs to be some personal responsibility,” he said. “When I read that story, I shook my head. If you make a choice to obliterate yourself with alcohol or whatever, I think you should still bear the consequences of your actions.”

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Montana

Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for April 25, 2026

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The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at April 25, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from April 25 drawing

04-30-36-52-57, Powerball: 02, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lotto America numbers from April 25 drawing

03-15-23-32-36, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 03

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from April 25 drawing

04-21-25-31, Bonus: 02

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from April 25 drawing

03-06-09-51-65, Powerball: 12

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Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Montana Cash numbers from April 25 drawing

10-15-38-39-42

Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 25 drawing

03-22-26-44-47, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
  • Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Nevada

Special Olympics Nevada’s Vegas Plunge returns with superhero theme at Cowabunga Bay

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Special Olympics Nevada’s Vegas Plunge returns with superhero theme at Cowabunga Bay


Special Olympics Nevada invited community members to make a splash for inclusion at the Vegas Plunge at Cowabunga Bay on Saturday.

Organizers encouraged people to “hop, skip, run, jump, or dive” into the Henderson waterpark to support Special Olympics Nevada’s sports, education, leadership, and athlete health programs. While polar plunges are typically associated with colder climates, the event puts “a Vegas twist on this classic event.”

This year’s theme is “superheroes,” with participants encouraged to wear costumes. All plungers received a Vegas Plunge T-shirt, breakfast, tickets to Cowabunga Bay for the day, and the chance to support Special Olympics Nevada athletes.

The event was hosted by JayBee Beasley and included the fifth annual Rubber Duck Derby presented by Columbia Bank. Hundreds of rubber ducks raced around the lazy river, and attendees had a chance to win items including staycations, sporting events, golf packages, and jewelry.

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Liz Volpe is the Developmental Director for Special Olympics Nevada and says the Vegas Plunge is their signature event and, “We create inclusive opportunities for individuals with intellectual needs.”

Proceeds from the Polar Plunge are expected to support year-round sports training and competition for more than 3,978 Special Olympics Nevada athletes statewide.

Organizers said contributions and involvement also help athletes achieve their goals, live healthier lives, and feel included in the community.

Gold sponsors included Greenberg Traurig and The Raiders. Silver sponsors were Columbia Bank and MoneyTree. Bronze sponsors included David and Gail Bowman, Jomsom Staffing Services, and Renewal by Andersen.



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New Mexico

Española resident mourns childhood home burned in Riverside Fire

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Española resident mourns childhood home burned in Riverside Fire


ESPAÑOLA, N.M. (KRQE) – Residents in the area of the Riverside Fire in Española got a better look at the aftermath as the sun came out Saturday morning. Española resident Estevan Lucero is grieving the mobile home he grew up in. It’s one of four structures lost due to the riverside fire. His childhood home was burned, and just missed his family’s primary house on their property. “It’s awful to see all this black all around, it’s scary, it’s scary to see that it got this close,” said Lucero.

The large fire erupted Friday night in Espanola behind the Santa Claran hotel and Casino up to Fairview Lane. Some Espanola residents said that the experience was terrifying. “It’s one of the bigger fires I’ve seen in this area, so it was intense,” said Ronald Gallegos.

Meanwhile, crews have been battling to keep flames contained, but there is no reason for how it started. The fire is currently under investigation. It did spread very quickly. Initially, firefighters did think it was approximately 100 acres based on the nighttime and not getting that great visual effect,” said Española Mayor Dennis Tim Salazar.

Evacuations have been lifted for all residents, but the work will continue. “There’s several hot spots, and as mentioned, we’re really concerned about the winds, so we just want to make sure to focus on getting the job done,” said Mayor Salazar.

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Several firefighters have come to pitch in. A total of 19 fire engines are assisting from federal, city, and county levels.



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