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Pot found in yard
DTF: Some stalks were 7-8 feet tall
Published Wednesday, August 26, 2009
For the second time in less than a year, Drug Task Force agents have arrested a man for growing marijuana in his yard.
Tuesday, Billy Jones, 49, was arrested and charged with trafficking marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after DTF agents found seven “pot plants” scattered throughout Jones’ Snuffy Road home.
DTF agent Paul Hudson said the law enforcement agency had received “information” about the plants in the yard and were able to obtain a search warrant.
“Once we received the information, we were able to act rather quickly,” he said. “We found that the plants ranged in size from rather large to small,” Hudson said. “Three of the seven had some of the biggest stalks we had seen in quite a while. I’d say those probably were anywhere between seven to eight feet tall. We also found some marijuana that had been pulled off the plants.”
Hudson said the plants were found in flowerbeds and in other spots in the yard.
When asked if Jones didn’t think the plants were visible in the yard, Hudson said, “Apparently not.”
Hudson said under Alabama law, those found to be in possession of more than 2.2 pounds of marijuana can be charged with trafficking, and while Hudson was unsure of the exact amount of marijuana found, he did estimate its street value at approximately $25,000.
“It’s definitely the largest quantity we’ve found in a while,” he said.
Jones was booked into the Covington County Jail and bond on the drug charges was set at $500,000; however, he is currently being held without bond on three counts of failure to appear.
In May, a Red Level man was caught allegedly growing four marijuana plants in his yard. He was charged with first-degree possession.
Comments
Posted by sonnybubbajunebugjohnson (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 1:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I guess he didnt want to go into the woods to harvest his crop....stupid is as stupid does!
Posted by details90 (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 7:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yeah, he must of smoked some. When he thought it was a good idea to grow that in his own yard.
Posted by winkie (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 8:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
7 plant's??? $25,000. Thats a lot of money. A 6 pack $6.00, a pint of whiskey $10.99? Maybe alcohl should be illegal and pot legal. Uncle Sam could sure use the money. I am not saying I approve of anything the Law deems illegal, its just America needs money. Money IS the reason Whiskey/Beer is legal. I know I will get a lot of static, but it wont hurt to debate this subject.
Posted by biscuitsandhoovergravy (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 9 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Interesting point Winkie. I have never used or condone using any type of illegal drug but I think it would be interesting to see a comparative study on the impact of alcohol abuse versus marijuana abuse.
Posted by lulubell (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 9:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I know I will catch it as well but here goes. In three years they are going to start showing gruesome pictures of what nicotine can do to a smoker on cigarette packages. The nicotine in the cigarettes is highly addictive as you smokers know but they are legal and the tobacco companies keep getting richer as well the doctors, hospital, etc., for your medical care.
Let us face it alcohol has caused many loved ones to die in car accidents (even if they were not the driver), they were hit by a drunk driver in another car. Alcohol is a mind altering legal drug that makes a killing (pardon the expression) off you/your/our loved ones. Some of whom are eat up with liver disease, in which, there is no cure for and there again the alcohol providers, doctors and hospitals are getting richer everyday.
Now marijuana if you will when used also can cause you to do things that you would not normally do as when you are not under the influence. It also is mind altering. It affects people in different ways. While it may be relaxing to some it could cause you to become violent. Let me say this that you use marijuana and after a while the high doesn't last as long as it use to and you begin to use more and more until you go on to another a drug to get a better high, then I say yes marijuana is addictive and should be kept illegal for people to grow/sale and traffic.
I for one am glad that this marijuana is off the street so that it want go to the drug pushers that push drugs around in our community. I say to our sheriff and his department thank you for keeping on top of the drug problems that we have in our county.
Posted by lookeyhere (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 10:19 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think marijuana should be taxed and sold just like cigarettes.Oh and no I do not smoke marijuana,I tried it when I was in my teens.
Posted by andalusiainquirer (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 10:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I would like to know why they didn't see these plants when they busted this guy a month or so ago. I don't think that the six foot plant had enough time to grow since the first bust. Hmmmm.
May this gut will apply for the new drug court.
Posted by covingtoncountycitizen2008 (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
andalusiainquirer, the same guy was not busted twice in a month. The newspaper said that the Jones guy got busted and one guy in Red Level. I believe the story they are referring to in Red Level was the guy that had plants growing in front of his house where it could be seen from the street.
Hats off to you guys at DTF. Hope you get anyone and everyone that involves themselves in illegal drugs. Thanks for the good work.
Posted by covingtoncountycitizen2008 (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
andalusiainquirer, I typed wrong. It said for the second time in a YEAR. Similar stories but different people. Same guy did not get busted twice.
Posted by winkie (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 2:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I to am glad its off the street. The point I was trying to make is Tax on Alcohol / Cigaretts aint squat compared to the BILLIONS American's pay in taxes for the controll / eradacation of marijuana, plus the Mexican's are takeing Billion's $$$ back to Mexico. Illegal's are rapeing USA and smileing all the way home. They take our job's, free health care, free food, free school and sell marijiuana and PAY NO TAXES what so ever!! Whats wrong with this picture?
Posted by andalusiainquirer (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 4:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It seem strange that Ronnie Denney was busted a few weeks ago on drug charges. He showed up 20 years ago running a dog and cat shelter for his mother in law, who as far as I know was never seen in this county. There were Mexicans working for him back then. The whole him was a front for importing marijuana. Strange that the law looked the other way and nobody ever got busted. But to use Don Harrell name and law enforcement in the same entence is a contradiction in terms.
Posted by winkie (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 5:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
andalusiainq.: Are you sure your not talking about Anthony Clark?
Posted by andalusiainquirer (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 6:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I am sure I was in the group that went with Don Harrell that went down tro the dog and cat farm. Include in the group was an investigator from the Ala. Dept. of Agriculture and a reporter from the Sta-News. It was in the late 1980s. You would not believe what we saw when someone opened the door eto the barn that held 400 cats in cages. Uggggh!! The county health guy showed up later. They called for the the county veterinarian who could not be located, Dr. Lewis Jones came instead. What a mess. Every body that came that had legal authority agreed that something had to be done. There was a meeting of the County Comm. a week later that had to be moved to the big courtroom. When everyone had spoken, including Ronnie Denney, it was obvious that nothing was going to be done. The state veterinarian, Dr. Ailey, who sent the investigator, tried to do something and wound up losing his job. Somebody way up the line told the sheriff, the state ag people and the health dept. to shut up and do nothing
Posted by bluecollarguy (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 6:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There are 'dog & cat' stories in every city in the United States of America, The Animal Channel, "Cops", Dateline NBC, anywhere you want to go, there are some people that have too many animals to properly care for that really didn't mean any harm in the beginning, but it just kept getting worse like any addiction. The main goal is to remove the animals (pets) to a good clean home if possible. Times have changed since 20 years ago, and the authorities have
improved methods of dealing with those situations now than they did when Sheriff Harrell was in office, our county had never been posed with that situation during that time period, most of those in authority then are now deceased or retired and a new frontier is on the horizen.
Posted by gladigotoutofandy (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 7:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Pot should be legalized and sold like cigarettes. You dont hear of people being high off of pot and killing people or harming people in any other way. Never heard that pot causes cancer or any other major medical condition...because it DONT!! Cigarettes cause numerous health problems not just lung cancer and COPD. Alcohol kills the liver and drunk drivers as well as sober ones. Marijuanna just relaxes the smoker.
Posted by LoyalAmerican (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 7:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
gladigotoutofandy:I am glad you did also!
Posted by gladtobefromandy (anonymous) on August 27, 2009 at 8:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
agrees with loyal.. lol
Posted by winkie (anonymous) on August 28, 2009 at 7:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LOL: I'm thinking, "Money to pay the deficit", but medical benifit's from it would be nice. I have read/heard it slows/stops brain cancer. I just wonder if Ted Kennedy was being treated (probly to late) with marijiuana.
Posted by BamaRose61 (anonymous) on August 28, 2009 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I believe that gladigotoutofandy is buying into the myths of pot not being as dangerous as cigarettes or alcohol. Some facts are it has more cancer-causing chemicals and tar than tobacco, it weakens the immune system so there for a pot smoker is more likely to have more infections and sickness than a nonsmoker, the risk of having a heart attack is 5 times higher than usual within an hour of smoking a joint, it delays reaction time, impairs coordination and balance the same as alcohol, reduces the ability to learn and diminished short-term memory, affects hormones and can delay puberty and sperm production in young men and affect a woman's cycles and if she does get pregnant and uses, causes a low birth weight baby with with many medical problems. I could go on and on, but you can google and find many facts why pot SHOULD NOT be legalized. The main reason for me not to legalize it is that I would not won't my child to be exposed to it on possibly a daily basis in some shape or form, for example, a classmate that has parents that would smoke in home and the residue from the smoke be on clothes, or some jerk smoking a joint on his way into Walmart that is ahead of us going in the door.
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