Front Page  »  

Dayspring pursued Orcutt dispensary permit after signing plea deal

August 4, 2021

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Despite local marijuana mogul Helios Dayspring having already signed a plea deal with federal prosecutors in his bribery and tax evasion case, Dayspring’s Natural Healing Center was still pursuing a cannabis dispensary permit in Santa Barbara County less than two weeks ago.

Dayspring purchased the Old Town Market building in Orcutt and several other parcels for $1.6 million in April 2020. He then sent an eviction notice to Mark and Wendy Steller, who had run the Old Town Market for 18 years.

Amid community outrage over the impending closure of the only grocery store in Orcutt’s Old Town area, the Fidel brothers bought the Old Town Market from Dayspring in Oct. 2020, with plans to continue selling groceries while also providing a food court.

The purchase, however, came with a contingency. The Fidel brothers agreed to sell the property back to Dayspring if he were to succeed in garnering a coveted retail pot shop permit for the property, said co-owner Ibrahim Abboud.

In NHC Orcutt 405 LLC’s dispensary permit application, Dayspring was not listed as an owner of the LLC. However, the applicant’s address was the same location as Dayspring’s Natural Healing Center store in Grover Beach.

Dayspring has a long history of using limited liability companies in a scheme to underreport his income from cannabis sales. Previously, Dayspring would conceal his unreported income by purchasing real estate in employees’ names and later transfer the properties over to some of the dozens of LLCs he formed.

During the application process, NHC Orcutt 405 failed to advance to the final round, falling short by one point. Subsequently, NHC Orcutt 405 sued Santa Barbara County over its selection process.

On July 21, approximately a month after Dayspring signed his plea agreement, attorney Randy Fox of Reetz Fox & Bartlett argued in court that Santa Barbara County should have selected NHC Orcutt 405 as a finalist for the Orcutt dispensary permit, according to the Santa Barbara Independent.

Judge Colleen Sterne ruled against NHC Orcutt 405, finding the county had not acted in an arbitrary or capricious manner in its scoring of the company’s application. The county’s scoring methods included reviews of applicants’ business operations and neighborhood compatibility.

Fox said he planned on appealing Sterne’s decision, but now that Dayspring’s plea deal has been announced, he is unsure if that will happen. Fox was unaware of the plea agreement while arguing the case, he said.

As an applicant, Dayspring’s felony conviction would prohibit him from obtaining a permit for a cannabis business. A Santa Barbara County ordinance states a cannabis business license can be denied if an applicant has been convicted of a felony or another crime.

Dayspring signed his plea agreement on June 24. On July 28, federal prosecutors charged Dayspring with one count of bribery and one count of filing a false tax return. Dayspring agreed to plead guilty to both felony offenses, pay $3.4 million in restitution to the IRS and cooperate in the government’s ongoing corruption investigation.


Loading...
Related:


8 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

I can say without any reservation, that there were murders, in this bribery mess, Cal Coast News is the only one who has it correct so far. As a former associate of both H.Dayspring and Sean who is now deceased due to his willingness to spell the facts to the US DEA and CID at the IRS.


Odd thing is our Mayor has now lawyer-ed up as well as several others, this Corruption mess is much deeper than most know, I was a friend of several of the partners and now deceased associates. Sean’s Dad Steve said he was told to tell everyone who asked what happened to his Son, Sean Despain to tell people he died of a Heart Attack. As Sean was a close friend and former associate of our many people. I will not reveal my real name as we are concerned of threats and being Killed.


Sean died at his Condo at 3055 Garibaldi Ave., San Luis Obispo on 7-23-20 at a going away party as he was in fact going to reveal the entire corruption in town, some of the people in attendance besides his girl friend who found him and now she lives their as she recently found a “Will” giving her all rights to his assets and home, BMW’s cash, Jewelry and so much more.


She was NOT PROPERLY INVESTIGATED, thus lawsuits are happening to see who really “KILLED” Him for Helios so he would not reveal the bribes, payoffs, and movement of large sums of money and more. As I was spoken too by the FBI PUBLIC CORRUPTION UNIT AS WELL AS CID AGENTS AND ONE US ATTORNEY.


The facts are that many politicians, elected officials and at least 2 DEPUTIES were protection the operation that stretched to several States, from Local to State and other officials. This matter was handled in my personal opinion handled very poorly. SLO PD did have the Condo under surveillance two days too late after he was found deceased by his Girl Friend. She now holds the keys to cars, bank accounts, property and jewelry along with other very valuable items in no less than 4 States, Colorado, Northern California, Oregon and Nevada along with much more.


Too place assets from Helios to V. Garica was a dumb idea, this is so much bigger than any of you know. The amount of Cash is mind boggling. Their are more than 75 different LLC’s, LLP’s, LP’s and Incorporation’s. I realize the Federal Authorities are getting many people to turn State’s and Federal WITNESSES, too protect there own Ass’s less you all forget people are mysterious dead.


Not Over Dose but simple planting of dangerous fatal narcotics in drinks and Cocaine that are and were deadly to no less than 4 people who all ” Overdosed” case closed what a sham and cover up. Several of his very close former friends and associates have moved to other States and Cities, Helios is far deeper involved in many Criminal groups that are very dangerous. Any death or loss of innocent life is a tragedy.


Do Not be fooled or mislead by fake and bogus O’D’s it is pure and simple killing of snitches and informants. Many have decided to cooperate with Legal Authorities to save themselves, one local financial institution laundered cash for kick backs and bribes one person did NOT FILE as mandated by Law an official SARS report to the US Treasury. I pray that no one else is suddenly found “Dead” due to a fake OD, but the people involved are high profile and very Organized.


Anyone who knows the facts and truth please tell the FBI, DEA and IRS this is a scar on the community. H. Day-spring’s hide plenty of cash that will never be turned over to the FBI or IRS, too many well educated and high placed officials are in a world of hurt if those who are now cooperating and turning in there own friends, partners and others.


Retained out of town people were paid to come and silence those who have talked, and talked too much. I understand that no one wants to go to Prison and forfeit illicit donations, payments off the books but it did and continues to happen.


I Plead with those who were at the Party to come forth and tell the FBI the truth and make a deal to end this local corruption and illicit conduct.


24

Dayspring is just waiting for someone to say no to his next caper. But, he’s been a slippery Machiavellian sociopath by getting others to take trinkets and get in the boat with him.

Heidi can always amend her tax returns to show the free pot from NHC as income. But, how does she escape the Compliance and Ethics affidavit that each city employee either signs a hard copy of or signs electronically after taking a computer based training test? Seems like the city workers have one set ethical standards on the reporting of receiving gifts or gracefully declining gifts above a certain value, but the mayor has her own standard.


20

Notice how Heidi Harmon and everyone in her circle have said absolutely nothing about this. Nothing. Not a single comment, not anything like “Adam Hill was a good guy, shame that this happened” – nothing.


Now the city is talking about doing an “internal investigation” of Helios’ farms and dealings, which of course will be a cover up if no outside investigation happens. Go look at Heidi’s Instagram page @heidiismighty – people are calling her out in all the comments on whatever deflecting thing she chooses to post about and she ignores it.


Just google Heidi Harmon and Nick Andre, then google Nick Andre and Natural Healing Center and you will see it’s painfully obvious that Heidi is involved with Helios just as Adam Hill was.


Look at this article. She was having fundraisers at HELIOS’ HOUSE.


https://calcoastnews.com/2018/11/dark-fundraisers-marijuana-and-local-city-elections/


We all need to be putting WAY more pressure on her to respond to this. Comment on her posts until she is forced to respond. She is our Mayor and just gets away with NOT EVEN COMMENTING on this issue?


38

Remember the good ‘ol days, when we voted against legalization of pot, because we warned that illegal activity would simply, and naturally, follow?


25

When you look at the insurance industry with it’s many layers of protection, like the layers of an onion, they are all connected for their survival of the whole, I’m suspecting this is true in marijuana industry too and we only know of the bottom feeders.


21

This Dayspring is like a cancer on the local community. Their won’t be any real justice unless he does substantial prison time, while also being stripped of all his assets.


Keep an eye on this POS. Unless he’s really hammered, he’ll continue to be a localized plague.


48

Large profitable criminal enterprises always have and always will be able to be successfully run from prison. He just going to jail, not going out of business.


53

Shocking! Because people have to quit existing after they get in trouble…right?


-26