A Josephine County man has been sentenced to federal prison for illegally cultivating marijuana and submitting false tax returns, authorities announced.
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Steven Shirley, 52, received a two-year prison sentence along with five years of supervised release on December 18. He was also ordered to pay over $290,000 in restitution to the IRS and more than $12,000 to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for environmental damage caused by illegal marijuana operations.
According to court documents, Shirley began purchasing properties in Cave Junction, Oregon, in 2012 under the banner of Earth Peoples Park (EPP), a nonprofit religious organization. Acting as president and minister of EPP, Shirley leased the properties to third parties, using the proceeds to acquire more land. By 2019, he owned or co-owned 21 properties and earned at least $400,000 annually from leasing activities.
Investigations revealed that 16 of Shirley's properties contained large-scale, unlicensed marijuana cultivation sites. Authorities seized more than 15,000 marijuana plants and nine firearms during a search in October 2019. Further inspections uncovered evidence that Shirley utilized a portion of BLM land for growing marijuana.
Officials also determined that Shirley employed and directed workers to grow, harvest, and sell marijuana. Despite prior enforcement actions, Shirley continued illegal operations. In June 2021, authorities executed search warrants at 11 EPP properties, seizing additional firearms and uncovering further evidence of illegal activity.
The IRS investigation into Shirley's finances revealed that EPP did not qualify as a religious organization. Instead, it operated as a for-profit property management entity. Shirley underreported his income by over $1 million between 2015 and 2018, resulting in unpaid taxes exceeding $290,000.
Shirley’s sentencing underscores the federal government’s ongoing efforts to combat illegal marijuana cultivation and address tax fraud. It also highlights the consequences for those exploiting nonprofit status to facilitate unlawful activities.
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