Septic pumper sentenced for pot grow

HOUSTON — A septic pumper accused of multiple environmental crimes and assault on a police officer in addition to crimes related to a 1,700-plant marijuana grow has reached the end of one of his court cases.

Kenny Champ, 49, pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing an illegally short sawed-off shotgun and manufacturing marijuana. He will serve 28 months in federal prison and be on probation for five years after his release. The sentence is below the 10-year minimum for marijuana manufacturing because he has no serious criminal history.

“Given Mr. Champ’s overall history, the current offense is so out of character as to be bizarre, even inexplicable,” his attorney, Michael Dieni, wrote in court filings arguing successfully for the reduced sentence.

Champ was first charged with assault on an officer and the marijuana growing operation in December 2011.

Alaska State Troopers went to his property to investigate claims he was dumping raw sewage into a creek near Bench Lake. But when they got there, dispatchers warned officers Champ had threatened to shoot troopers if they didn’t leave.

That’s where the assault charge comes in. Later, the investigation turned up the marijuana grow. Still later, troopers hit him with charges for polluting the stream. Eventually, the marijuana grow charges went federal and Champ and a neighbor, Steven Needles, wound up in U.S. District Court in Anchorage.

Needles was charged with conspiracy to manufacture marijuana. Prosecutors allege he sold the marijuana after it was grown and harvested on Champ’s property. He took his case to trial and lost.

Champ, meanwhile, pleaded guilty. Numerous people wrote letters on his behalf asking for leniency, including his daughter, who said Champ taught her to be independent and how to fix cars, lay tile and draw floor plans.

“He learned his lesson and I really need my dad back,” his daughter wrote.

On his own behalf, Champ said that he had indeed learned his lesson and hoped to teach other people upon his release that growing marijuana only leads to trouble.

“I have a business outline on starting a special church that will help people (with) shelter, food and work,” he wrote.

Dieni, in his court filings, says that the sawed-off shotgun was actually a gun Champ’s father had modified after the barrel was damaged in a snowmachining accident. Champ’s father was “mistaken as to the relative requirements of the law.”

It certainly wasn’t used in the furtherance of drug crimes. Nor was the $20,000 cash troopers found in Champ’s trailer proceeds earned from drugs. Dieni pointed out that just before the arrest, Champ had lawfully received two checks, one for $14,000 and one for $6,000, for septic work rendered. He’d cashed both of them.

“In fact, the (Drug Enforcement Agency) has abandoned its attempt to seek forfeiture of this money,” Dieni wrote.

As for the marijuana, Dieni says that Champ was recently divorced and first tried marijuana 18 months before his arrest as a way to alleviate back pain. He writes that Needles showed Champ how to grow it and influenced him to see it as a business venture.

“Maybe it was the back pain, maybe it was the divorce, or maybe it was the influence of the neighbor, Mr. Needles. Whatever the reason, Mr. Champ made uniquely and isolated poor choices which were out of character,” Dieni wrote.

Champ still faces multiple counts in state court, including the assault on a peace officer and polluting waterways charges. He is due to change his plea and be sentenced Aug. 29.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.