MOUNT VERNON — For the second time in less than two months, a major indoor marijuana growing operation has been shut down.
According to Knox County Sheriff David Barber, detectives and agents from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation executed a search warrant Friday morning at a residence at 12235 Beckley Road. Detectives from the Mount Vernon Police Department also assisted in the raid, which took place at approximately 10:40 a.m.
Barber said detectives found a large, sophisticated indoor growing operation in the upstairs of the residence. A total of 62 marijuana plants, with an estimated street value of over $60,000 were seized, along with a large quantity of dried marijuana, drug paraphernalia, several thousand dollars in cash and two vehicles.
Barber said 31-year-old Timothy R. Patterson of the Beckley Road, Mount Vernon, residence was arrested on charges of unlawful cultivation of marijuana and is being held in the Knox County Jail. Additional charges are expected to be filed when the case is forwarded to Knox County Prosecutor John Thatcher.
The continuing investigation is being handled by Detective Sgt. Gary Rohler and Detective Roger Brown.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office, which is an active member of the METRICH Enforcement Unit, encourages anyone with information about marijuana cultivation or other drug activity to contact the sheriff’s office Detective Division at 393-6800 or the toll-free Crime Tip Line at (800) TIP-US-OFF (800-847-8763, ext. 333).
