What determines whether or not your offence is federal?

[tibberous]

Lets say you had 150 plants. I think thats a 20 year minimum at the federal level.

If state troopers bust you, do you get charged at the state or federal level?

 

[tibberous]

Also, if police get a warrant, will the DEA / FBI be the ones that raid you? And will that automatically make it federal if your over a 100 plants?

Maybe a good strategy for a large-sized op would be to flower 99 plants and hide all the clones / vegging plants somewhere else. Granted, they'd be the added risk of moving the plants - but 3 years would be better than 20.

 

[Jogro]

Lets say you had 150 plants. I think thats a 20 year minimum at the federal level.

If state troopers bust you, do you get charged at the state or federal level?

That depends on them.

They can refer the case over to Federal law enforcement, if they want to. Doesn't mean the Feds will want to take it, even if they do.

Whether or not State police will actually do this depends on the circumstances of the bust, their relationship with local Feds, etc.

Note that being CONVICTED of possessing 150 plants could lead to a 20 year sentence. In practice, if you had an otherwise clean record, they'd probably offer you a plea out to a lesser charge.

 

[BadDog40]

I know a guy last year who was popped in a medical state growing 30 plants and he was charged locally (got probation) and the feds seized his house.

 

[dolamic]

I've been to federal prison, and the majority of the people they pick up for weed is for interstate transporting. Don't be on the road or on federal land with anything. There was a guy who got 6 months for a DUI on federal property. Another kid set a fire on federal property and got 3 years. Stay away from any federal land, roads and buildings. All that nice pretty land that looks like no one owns? Uncle Sam got that shit on lock. Dig this...
http://strangemaps.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/map-owns_the_west.jpg
http://robbishop.house.gov/uploadedfiles/all_us_public_lands.jpg