Pot activist Emery cuts deal for jail sentence with U.S.

Vancouver-based marijuana activist Marc Emery says his lawyers have cut a deal with U.S. prosecutors that would see him soon serving a minimum of five years in jail.

In July 2005, U.S. drug enforcement officials asked that Emery be extradited so he could face charges that he, Greg Williams and Michelle Rainey distributed millions of cannabis seeds to American customers at an annual profit of $3 million.

If Emery and his friends were extradited and found guilty in the U.S., they would each face a minimum 10-year sentence, with a chance of life in prison for the charges of conspiracy to grow marijuana, sell seeds and money laundering.

Emery, who has been free on bail while fighting extradition, told CBC News in an interview on Monday that his lawyers told him there was no hope to refute the U.S. allegations.

He said the Americans were demanding he serve a 10-year sentence, with at least five years in prison.

He said he has agreed to serve at least five years in jail in Canada, if it means his two friends facing the same charges can remain free.

If the federal government accepts the proposal, Emery said he could be behind bars in the U.S. within 60 days.

The U.S. prosecutors office isn't commenting on the plea bargain.

The so-called Prince of Pot has run several times for public office as leader of the Marijuana Party, and has fought several court battles to change Canadian cannabis laws.

The extradition hearing for all three co-accused is scheduled to begin next week in Vancouver.

But although Emery said he would accept the plea bargain to keep his friends from prison, he's adamant he did nothing wrong.

He said he remains bitter that after paying more than $500,000 in income tax from his business, Canadian officials who knew what he was doing have abandoned him.

"The Canadian postal service delivered these seeds for eleven years and knew full well what they were doing and they took my money,'' he said.