Roy Schmidt mugshot.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Former state representative Roy Schmidt pleaded no contest to felony marijuana charges Thursday afternoon. Schmidt, 63, was originally charged in June 2015 with two felony counts of delivering and manufacture of marijuana. The charges hold a maximum sentence of up to four years in prison and $20,000 in fines.
Schmidt was arrested in June last year after police found approximately three pounds of marijuana at this home. He told officers he was a medical marijuana patient and caregiver, and he admitted to selling marijuana to at least 20 people who were not his registered patients.
Police found 71 growing marijuana plants at his home.
Schmidt represented the 76th District in Grand Rapids from 2008 to 2012 as a Democrat. Then, while running for re-election in 2012, he switched from running as a Democrat to a Republican at the last minute, forcing the Democrats to post a write-in candidate in the primary. He ultimately lost re-election to Winnie Brinks in the general election.
He was also once a former member of the Grand Rapids City Commission.
Schmidt is due back in Kent County Circuit Court March 22.
