Cusick Couple Sentenced In Marijuana Case

Thu., April 23, 1998

From Staff

Doyle Rucker has been sentenced to two months in federal prison for growing 560 marijuana plants at his horse ranch near Cusick, Wash.

His wife, Sharon, was given five years of probation when the couple appeared before U.S. District Judge Fred Van Sickle this week.

The Ruckers escaped standard minimum five-year sentences by providing evidence against other drug dealers. They pleaded guilty to growing more than 100 marijuana plants after being turned in by neighbor Jack Clayburn, who received a similar sentencing break for cooperating with authorities.

Clayburn was head girls basketball coach at Northwest Christian High School in Spokane when police found about 300 marijuana plants in his barn in November 1996.

Although the Ruckers weren’t fined, they were forced, in a separate court action, to pay $25,000 to keep their ranch. Van Sickle took the unusual step of requiring the Ruckers to keep their probation officers informed of their financial condition.

The couple told the judge they got into the drug business partly because of financial difficulties.

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