Man guilty in pot-growing conspiracy

A man who testified that he grew marijuana to use in his practice of the Rastafarian religion could go to prison for 40 years for conspiring to grow more than 100 marijuana plants.

A federal jury found Chico Martines guilty Thursday of the conspiracy charge. The jury, however, found him not guilty of possessing the marijuana to distribute.

Martines faces a mandatory minimum five-year and maximum 40-year prison term when he is sentenced in February. He also faces a maximum $5 million fine and up to lifetime court supervision whenever he gets out of prison.

U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized 112 marijuana plants from an indoor growing operation on April 5, 2011 at 1937 Homerule St. in Kalihi. The address is of a commercial building, and the marijuana was being grown in three rooms.

Martines and Shane J.A.K. Oyama shared the rent and had completed extensive renovations for the grow operation including the installation of ventilation, electrical lighting, an irrigation system and air conditioning.

Oyama pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge in a deal with the federal prosecutor and testified for the government in Martines’ trial. Oyama will be sentenced next week.