Did San Juan Have a Pot Dispensary?

EDITOR'S NOTE: Because of an editing error, Lt. John Meyer was misquoted in an earlier version of this story. He said he was unaware of any marijuana dispensary in San Juan Capistrano during his tenure as chief of police services.

When news broke earlier this week that a drug kingpin had pleaded guilty to running a string of marijuana dispensaries, including one in San Juan Capistrano, local officials quickly protested.

Lt. John Meyer said he didn't believe there was a marijuana dispensary in San juan, especially in the years he's been in the city.

Likewise, City Councilman Larry Kramer shot off an email to Patch on Tuesday: “I am not aware that we have or had a marijuana dispensary in San Juan Capistrano.”

However, legal documents from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles indicate John Melvin Walker operated a number of dispensaries in Orange and Los Angeles counties, including a storefront in San Juan Capistrano called APCC.

It was known among conspirators in the $25-million drug bust as the “San Juan Capistrano store,” according to Walker’s indictment.

The documents indicate APCC operated from at least July 2008 to November 2011, but no address is listed.

A search engine for pot shops lists a dispensary with that name in Anaheim, not San Juan Capistrano. 

Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office, said he didn’t have a lot of information beyond what was revealed in the case.

“Walker admitted in court that he operated the store,” he said, referring to the plea agreement the defendant made to avoid a trial. Patch obtained a copy of the agreement.

Walker has not yet been sentenced but will likely receive 15 to 20 years for tax evasion and drug trafficking.

Walker’s attorney, Kate Corrigan, could not be reached by Patch for comment.

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