Josh Rosenthal, a noted mixed martial arts referee who officiated several memorable UFC bouts over the course of his career, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, based on his guilty plea to various drug charges including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute. The term is mandatory, with no possibility of parole.
The office of Senior District Judge Saundra Brown Armstrong, who sentenced Rosenthal on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Oakland, Calif., confirmed the penalty to MMA Fighting. According to the spokesperson, Rosenthal will also face a three-year supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment fee.
Rosenthal was originally arrested in 2012, after federal agents raided an Oakland warehouse. According to documents from his case, authorities found over 1,000 marijuana plants in one of the city's largest-ever pot seizures. According to federal officials, the operation was valued at over $6 million.
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Referee Josh Rosenthal sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for drug charges - MMA Fighting