Puyallup Police Nab Man Offering Pot For Food Stamps

PUYALLUP, WA - Local police recently arrested a man who put an offer on Craigslist to trade his marijuana - specifically "great organic sativa hybrid" - for use of an EBT food stamp card, the state Department of Social and Health Services is reporting.

After being notified about the ad by DSHS, Puyallup police set up a sting, offering to trade weed for the use of an EBT card. Puyallup police arrested Martin Alan Dorr, 28, of Tacoma, on Feb. 2.

According to court records, Dorr was arraigned on Feb. 3 on three charges: trafficking in food coupons, unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance.

According to Dorr's Craigslist ad, he was offering to trade his marijuana for more than just food stamps. The ad offers the sativa for a "donation" of $125 per ounce. Although marijuana can be sold legally in Washington, retailers need a license, among many other regulations.

"I can ship as well," the ad reads. "These are in-state pricing out of state is a tad bit high."

Aside from use of an EBT card, the ad also offers to accept electronics or vehicles in exchange for marijuana.

In a press release, DSHS touted its aggressive approach to rooting out food benefit fraud. The department got a $750,000 federal grant in 2014 to hire investigators to find online fraud. The department estimates that food stamp fraud costs the state about $11 million per year.

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