Helios Dayspring had one goal: build a cannabis empire that, in his words, would be “too big to fail.”

But as he acquired hundreds of acres of land to grow the product and opened storefronts along California’s Central Coast to sell it, Dayspring’s ambition led him to bribery.

His target was a county supervisor who, in exchange for cash and other perks, pushed measures that advanced the interests of his secret benefactor and tried to stifle those that didn’t.

After a lengthy hearing Friday, U.S. District Judge André Birotte Jr. sentenced Dayspring to 22 months in prison for bribing a public official and filing a false tax return.

“What’s troubling about this case is it goes to the heart of government process,” Birotte said, noting that just a few blocks from the courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, several council members at City Hall have been accused of taking bribes.  [Read More @ The LA Times]