John Loe was arrested Oct. 18 after firing a Taser at customers and brandishing a firearm, according to Sonoma County Sheriff’s officials.
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John Loe, a cannabis shop owner in Sonoma County known for his outspoken behavior and inflammatory public remarks, was recently arrested on weapons charges after an incident at his dispensary. The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office reported that Loe, 50, used a Taser on customers and later brandished a handgun at them during a confrontation on October 18 at his business, Loe Dispensary, located near Sonoma.
The Sheriff’s Office stated the altercation started when two customers left Loe’s shop without making a purchase, but one returned briefly, believing he had left his phone. Shortly after, the second customer reentered, stating the phone had been found in their car. A dispute ensued, during which Loe allegedly responded by firing a Taser, which did not strike anyone, before drawing a firearm. No injuries were reported. Loe was arrested on charges of felony assault with a Taser and misdemeanor firearm brandishing, later posting $20,000 bail. However, the District Attorney's Office has yet to make a decision on filing formal charges, and Loe's lawyer claims Loe’s bail has since been exonerated.
Loe, who has a reputation for aggressive comments, often directs his anger toward local officials, especially the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. He has denounced diversity initiatives, opposed farmworker disaster pay, and has clashed with his neighbors in Sebastopol over a gun range on his property. In one recent instance, Loe's verbal attacks during a county board meeting became so disruptive that the session was adjourned.
A Yelp review describing the October 18 incident claimed Loe was hostile toward Black customers, accusing them of theft and escalating to brandishing weapons. The post called for people of color, particularly Black individuals, to avoid Loe’s shop. Yelp did not include this review in the shop’s official rating.
Despite Loe’s controversial behavior and accusations of racial bias, he was awarded a $40,000 grant through Sonoma County’s cannabis equity program earlier this year. Loe’s grant application strongly opposed race-based criteria, yet he justified his eligibility by citing his brother’s marijuana-related arrest. The county’s cannabis ombudsperson confirmed Loe’s personal conduct was not a factor in the grant decision.
Adding to his troubles, Loe’s company, Seventeen00 LLC, is undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy. His repayment plan, filed last week, requires the sale of his $4.7 million Sebastopol property by April 2024, with proceeds directed toward debt repayment to both public and private creditors.
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