David Ciglar

age 39, sentenced to 10 years

charged with
marijuana cultivation

Before his arrest, David Ciglar was being retrained in a new career as an MRI technician. He had been injured on his job as a firefighter/paramedic as he was carrying a woman from a building. He has been credited with saving over 100 lives. Based on a tip to the DEA, he was caught with a plastic tray of 167 small marijuana seedlings growing in his garage.

Under a threat that his wife would also be sent to prison and his children sent to a foster home, David pleaded guilty. His family home was seized.

"My family is devastated. My wife is living every day wondering if she can make it financially and mentally. My kids don't know why their dad was taken away for such a long, long time. I have not even bonded with my youngest daughter. She was just two when I left her.

"It will be proven in the near future that this is a miracle plant and the federal government has destroyed my life over it."