A North San Juan man who said he is a medicinal marijuana user was found not guilty by a jury Thursday of cultivating and possessing marijuana for sale but guilty of possessing a firearm.

Thomas Wease was arrested Sept. 16, 2005, at his home on Robinson Road in North San Juan after deputies from the Narcotics Task Force performed a search and found 137 plants, Wease's attorney, Stephen Munkelt of Nevada City, said.

"The narcotics task force removed 108 plants, and left 29 as the amount they accepted as valid medicinal marijuana," Munkelt said.

During a three-day trial in front of visiting Judge Jane York, Wease presented a defense based on his association with a medical marijuana dispensary in Woodland Hills, Munkelt said.

The dispensary had been set up to legally sell marijuana to qualified patients, he said.

The jury returned a verdict of not guilty Thursday on both cultivation and possession for sale charges. They found Wease guilty of a separate charge of possessing a firearm, a Marlin .22 rifle found at the time of his arrest, Munkelt said.

A motion to return the marijuana, kept by investigators as evidence, is set for Feb. 11 in Nevada County Superior Court.

Sentencing on the gun charge is set for April 7, also in Nevada County Superior Court.

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To contact Staff Writer Robyn Moormeister, e-mail rmoormeister@theunion.com or call 477-4236.