Pittsburgh — Tommy Chong, who played one half of the dope-smoking duo in Cheech and Chong movies, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison and fined $20,000 on Thursday for selling bongs and other drug paraphernalia over the Internet.
The 65-year-old Chong was allowed to remain free until federal prison officials tell him in a few weeks where he must report to prison.
Chong also forfeited about $100,000 for his arrest on federal drug paraphernalia charges. He'll spend a year on probation after he's released from prison.
Chong's business, Nice Dreams Enterprises, which made a line of marijuana bongs and pipes, was to be sentenced later Thursday.
Chong pleaded guilty in May to conspiring to sell drug paraphernalia and also pleaded guilty on behalf of Nice Dreams Enterprises, which did business under the name Chong Glass.
Chong's plea came after federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents purchased his paraphernalia and had them shipped to an undercover business in Beaver Falls, a city northwest of Pittsburgh. Agents also confiscated his company's paraphernalia during raids of "head shops" in numerous states and confiscated "thousands of marijuana bongs and pipes" in a raid of his Gardena, Calif., business.
His plea followed a series of raids in February by the DEA in which at least 55 people were charged with trafficking in illegal drug paraphernalia. Federal officials said the investigation targeted the nation's biggest Internet distributors of paraphernalia.
Prosecutors said Chong was the first person to plead guilty in the raids.
The actor-comedian recently had a recurring role on Fox's "That '70s Show."
Complete Title: Comedian Tommy Chong Gets Nine Months on Paraphernalia Charges
Tommy Chong Gets Nine Months
Source: Associated Press
Author: Dan Nephin, The Associated Press
Published: September 11, 2003
Comedian Tommy Chong Gets Nine Months on Paraphernalia Charge
Updated Associated Press Article
By Dan Nephin, The Associated Press
September 11, 2003
PITTSBURGH - Tommy Chong, who played one half of the dope-smoking duo in Cheech and Chong movies, asked for leniency from a judge Thursday for conspiring to sell drug paraphernalia - saying he kicked his drug problem by taking up salsa dancing - but was sentenced to nine months in prison.
Chong's attorneys argued for no jail time, saying Chong would use his celebrity as a role model against drugs and would dedicate his life to public service.
Chong, 65, apologized to the court and his family, saying he "got carried away" with his movie character, "but I'm back to who I really am." He admitted once having "a drug problem with marijuana" but said he beat it by redirecting his energy to salsa dancing.
"It's a Latin American dance that's awesome," Chong told U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab before the judge imposed the sentence, which also included a $20,000 fine.
Chong said he's been working with youth through two organizations, teaching filmmaking and speaking out against drug use.
When they "saw that I was not the character that I played in the movies, they were surprised. Some were disappointed," Chong said.
"I played a loser for laughs," Chong said, adding he wouldn't - and couldn't - make a movie like "Up in Smoke" today. The 1978 cannabis comedy follows characters played by Chong and Cheech Marin as they search for marijuana while being pursued by inept cops.
But Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Houghton said Chong grew wealthy glamorizing drug use and trivializing law enforcement in his films, noting the movies are still available. Chong called his movies nonviolent and lighthearted and said he has fans in law enforcement.
Houghton said Chong used the persona to promote his catalog and Internet business.
Chong admitted that his business, which operated as Chong Glass and employed 25 glass blowers, sold some 7,500 bongs and pipes until Feb. 14, when federal drug agents raided his California home and business. Authorities also seized about one pound of marijuana.
U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan said the marijuana would be turned over to Los Angeles police, but that she believed it's unlikely Chong would be prosecuted for it based on the outcome of the federal case.
Chong's attorneys said the business, now defunct, never turned a profit.
Houghton said that's because federal investigators stepped in.
"Tommy Chong used his celebrity status to promote his business by appearing at head shops," she said. "It was his money and his persona that were necessary for this business."
Richard G. Hirsch, one of Chong's attorneys, urged Schwab not to punish Chong for his films. "The government is asking you to blur the distinction between reality and satire," he said.
Chong's attorneys said Chong has already been punished - the case cost him a recurring role on Fox's "That '70s Show" and a planned reunion movie with Marin.
Chong said nothing after his sentencing. Michael Nasatir, another Chong attorney, said he was disappointed Schwab sentenced him to jail time. He said no decision has been made whether to appeal.
Schwab's sentence was in the middle range of federal sentencing guidelines, which called for six months to one year in prison. The maximum possible punishment is three years in prison.
Along with the fine, Chong will forfeit more than $103,000 and agreed not to profit from his case. He'll also be on probation for a year after his release. The business, though defunct, was also placed on probation for three years and its Internet domain name must be relinquished to federal authorities, along with any remaining paraphernalia.
Chong was allowed to remain free until federal prison officials tell him in a few weeks where he must report to prison. He pleaded guilty May 13 to conspiring to sell drug paraphernalia and pleaded guilty on behalf of his business.
The plea came after federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents purchased his paraphernalia and had them shipped to an undercover business in Beaver Falls, a city northwest of Pittsburgh. Agents also confiscated his company's paraphernalia during raids of "head shops" in numerous states and confiscated "thousands of marijuana bongs and pipes" in a raid of his Gardena, Calif., business.
The raid was part of a series of raids in February by the Drug Enforcement Administration in which at least 55 people were charged with trafficking in illegal drug paraphernalia. Federal officials said the investigation targeted the nation's biggest Internet distributors of paraphernalia.
Actor Tommy Chong Going To Federal Prison
News Brief -- Associated Press & WXII12.com
Actor-Comedian Convicted Of Selling Drug Paraphernalia
September 11, 2003
Actor Tommy Chong -- part of the famed Cheech and Chong comedy team -- was sentenced in Pittsburgh Thursday to nine months in federal prison and fined $20,000 for selling bongs and other drug paraphernalia over the Internet.
Chong, 65, will be told in a few weeks where he'll have to report to prison.
Chong -- who starred with comedy partner Cheech Marin in the marijuana-themed cult film classics "Up in Smoke" and "Still Smokin'" -- pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell drug paraphernalia and pleaded guilty on behalf of his company, Nice Dreams Enterprises.
The company will learn of its sentence later Thursday.
There's no word on how this will affect Chong's reunion with Marin. The two reportedly have been writing a script for a movie.
Chong also appeared on the television show "That '70s Show" from 1999 through 2002. According to the Internet Movie Database, he is currently in production with several family members on the film "Best Buds."
The Associated Press
Tommy Chong's (Old) Web Site
CannabisNews Paraphernalia Archives
Tommy Chong's Hopes May Be Up In Smoke
Chong Admits Marijuana Equipment Sales
Chong Takes Potshots at Grass Laws
DEA's Raid Helps Fire Up Chong's Act
Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong Biography
DEA: Results Not Demonstrated -- Or Are They?
A performance chart from the White House report on the DEA --
Cheech and Chong.com
