Harford County detectives and investigators from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration raided Chance's Environmental Evergreens Tree Farm in May and found 19 growing marijuana plants, more than a pound and a half of packaged marijuana in freezers, and about 33 grams of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
According to a statement by a Harford County deputy sheriff in federal court documents, that quantity of marijuana suggested an intent to distribute.
Chance told The Baltimore Sun in an e-mail he had used the marijuana to relieve pain that stemmed from chronic arthritis and a bout with prostate cancer.
"I have always been the independent, self-sufficient type," he wrote, and "just didn't want to deal with buying from anyone."
Brown argued for leniency, saying that his client had "faithfully completed" a 26-week outpatient recovery program at Father Martin's Ashley treatment center in Aberdeen. A fellow patient, Michelle Short of Perryville, testified to Chance's "substantial character" and called him "a grandfather of good advice" whose presence was "instrumental" to other patients trying to recover.
Harford County State's Attorney Joseph I. Cassilly called the verdict disappointing.
"This sets an example for youth that if you don't like the laws on the books, you can write your own," Cassilly said.
With tears forming in his eyes as he left the chamber, Chance chose not to comment until he could discuss the sentence in more detail with attorneys.
Brown, standing beside his client, called the ruling "fair and understanding."
As part of his probation, Chance will perform as-yet-unspecified community service and continue in the treatment program.
