KINGMAN – A defendant offered unique explanations for his involvement in growing more than 100 cacti in Kingman during a Jan. 18 sentencing hearing at the Mohave County Courthouse. Alexander Muchow, 30, told Judge Doug Camacho that he witnessed the horrors of drug use throughout the greater Kingman area when formerly working as a first responder for the Northern Arizona Consolidated Fire District.

Muchow said he became highly interested in alternative therapy or treatment for drug addicts to help the community. That’s one of the reasons he offered for his study and experimentation in the growth and use of cacti for their hallucinogenic properties.

Muchow said he also thought learning more about the cacti that can be used to produce peyote and mescalin might help him in his personal struggle to learn more about his sexuality. He told the Court that he takes full responsibility for crossing legal boundaries in what was a well-intended pursuit.

It was noted during the hearing that Muchow had no previous criminal history whatsoever, not even a traffic ticket. Defense attorney Anthony Sgro argued for probation rather than prison because Muchow has already suffered from unfavorable publicity and loss of his firefighting career.

Prosecutor David Wayt countered that Muchow should have known better given his public safety experience. He said a prison sentence was warranted.

“The defendant was growing and selling mushrooms throughout the community,” Wayt said.

Judge Camacho noted that the defense theory of Muchow’s motivation and involvement differs vastly from Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Detective Aaron Devries’ position that the defendant was involved in a criminal operation growing or manufacturing psychedelic drugs.

Camacho said he could justify imposing prison or probation, though he settled for the latter. The Judge placed Muchow on probation for five years and imposed a 180-day jail sentence.

Dave Hawkins