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Richard Biggs, accused of selling black market marijuana to several Missoula dispensaries, is now facing federal drug charges.

The Missoula County Attorney's Office originally charged Biggs, but later dropped the charges, and Biggs was then charged by federal prosecutors.

Biggs appeared in federal court on Monday and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

Court documents filed by state prosecutors in May said the drug task force pulled Biggs over as he returned to Missoula from California.

They searched his car and found four large duffle bags with 20 different strains of marijuana. Overall, Biggs had about 74 pounds of marijuana and more than $39,000 in cash.

Investigators also discovered some of the marijuana strains were sold in local medical marijuana dispensaries. The names of the dispensaries have not been released.

Biggs has a drug conviction in federal court from 2004 for selling marijuana. He's currently released on special court conditions.