An Ojibwe man lost a motion to suppress evidence of peyote and marijuana that were found in his van in Ventura County, California.

Paul Skyhorse Durant, 61, belongs to the Native American Church. He said he kept less than 4 ounces of peyote for religious purposes and less than 4 ounces of marijuana for medicinal use.

County authorities have charged him with five drug felonies. He faces more than a decade in prison due to a prior conviction in California for robbery. He says he is being targeted because he was acquitted of a murder charge in the state.

In 1996, Durant was previously stopped in the county with 250 pounds of peyote plants. Charges were dropped because the peyote was being used by the Native American Church.

Get the Story:
Drugs allowed as evidence, judge says (The Ventura County Star 9/21)
pwpwd

Related Stories:
Ojibwe man charged for possessing peyote (05/02)
Man in peyote case accuses county of wrongdoing (03/08)
Editorial: Supreme Court opens peyote to non-Indians (2/27)
U.S. Attorney drops peyote charges against couple (2/23)
High court scoffs at trust in religious rights case (2/22)
Bill to limit peyote to tribal members advances (2/8)
White 'wanna-be' Indians target of peyote bill (01/19)
Plea deal reached for peyote case in Utah (12/16)
Study finds no harmful effects of peyote use (11/04)
Distributors of peyote a dying breed in Texas (09/19)
Navajo Nation peyote bill signed into law (08/01)
Utah 'medicine man' won't be released from jail (06/29)
Utah 'medicine man' and wife called drug dealers (6/27)
'Medicine man' arrested, charged in peyote flap (6/24)
'Medicine man' claimed Indian heritage in his 40s (05/23)
Peyote seized from 'medicine man' in federal custody (05/06)
Utah man sues county for return of seized peyote (4/28)
Supreme Court takes drug case tied to peyote use (04/19)
Supreme Court reviews case compared to peyote (04/14)
Religious group wins case tied to peyote use (11/16)
Navajo Nation peyote, meth legislation on hold (11/11)
Navajo bill clarifies use of peyote on reservation (10/12)
U.S. may prosecute Native American Church figure (08/31)
Non-Indian peyote case could head to Supreme Court (08/16)
Ruling allows non-Indians to use peyote in Utah (06/23)
Utah Supreme Court hears arguments in peyote case (11/5)
Utah 'medicine' man at center of court battles (08/26)
Peyote limited to recognized U.S. Natives (5/7)
Peyote against tea dispute heats up (1/24)
Case compared to Native American Church (10/30)
Peyote use disputed in Utah (5/18)
Man prevented from using peyote (5/10)
'Medicine man' settles lawsuit (3/30)
Peyote: For Indians Only? (1/8)
Peyote raid raises questions (7/17)
The Peyote Exemption (7/17)
Police seize peyote (7/12)