A former doctor's guilty plea in federal court Wednesday will lead to the closure of six medical marijuana clinics across San Diego County.
Defendant Nelson Leone, 72, of San Diego, pleaded guilty to identity theft for issuing forged recommendations under another doctor's name.
As a result, six medical marijuana clinics he owned in San Diego, Poway and El Cajon known as "Green Cross Evaluations" will close.
The former physician had his medical certificate revoked in 1995.
He employed Dr. Arnold Kaplan, a licensed physician, at one of his clinics to meet with customers and issue medical marijuana recommendations.
The other five clinics did not have a licensed medical doctor.
Without Kaplan's knowledge, Leone also issued medical marijuana recommendations at his five other clinics using Kaplan's signature and physician license number.
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Leone had no comment when approached by NBC 7 after the hearing.
He faces a maximum of five years behind bars and is due back in court on September 14.
"We have basically just plain drug dealing behind glass doors,” said Scott Chipman with Citizens Against Legalizing Marijuana.
Chipman attended the hearing Wednesday and described the medical marijuana industry as “lawless” not “medical.”
