This just in from the U.S. Attorney General's Office: From the summer of '05 till December '08, five locals were running out of three Northwest Dallas houses an "elaborate marijuana growing operation" that was eventually busted up by the Drug Enforcement Agency. They had three houses -- one each on Pensive, Lathrop and Wildflower Drives, and how did I not smell this from my house? -- where they grew the good stuff and lots of it. From the release:
It was the goal of the operation to harvest 192 plants at each location, four times per year. From summer 2005 to December 2008, approximately 4600 marijuana plants were grown at the three houses. The high-grade, hydroponic marijuana was being grown to sell at $5000 to $5200 per pound, and it was estimated that the cultivation operation yielded about 30 pounds per location, per harvest. According to these figures, the marijuana cultivation organization yielded the organization approximately $3.6 million from summer 2005 to December 2008.But no more: Four pleaded guilty today to a conspiracy to cultivate and sell large quantities of marijuana plants; another man cut a deal earlier this week. Each faces a max statutory sentence of at least five but not more than 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine. The full release follows.
FIVE DALLAS AREA RESIDENTS ADMIT RUNNING AN ELABORATE MARIJUANA GROWING OPERATION
Each Defendant Faces Up to 40 Years in Federal Prison
DALLAS - Dallas area residents, Jason Chadwick Doze, 36; Melody Dawn Pharris, 31; Jonathan Blake Senn, Jr., 32; and his wife, Stacey Lynn Senn, 34, each pleaded guilty this afternoon, before U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis, to a drug offense related to a conspiracy to cultivate and sell large quantities of marijuana plants, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Another defendant in the case, Roderick Curtis Doze, 40, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy last week.
Specifically, each of the five defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute 100 or more marijuana plants. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory sentence of at least five but not more than 40 years in prison and a $2 million fine. Roderick Doze, Jason Chadwick Doze's brother, is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13, 2010; the others listed above are scheduled to be sentenced on October 20 and October 27, 2010. Another defendant in the case, Nancy Harris, is scheduled to go on trial next month.
According to documents filed in the case, in December 2008, state and federal law enforcement officers executed search warrants at three houses in Dallas, located on Lathrop Drive, Pensive Drive and Wildflower Drive, which were being used to grow, harvest and package for distribution, marijuana plants. Law enforcement seized 980 marijuana plants, as well as equipment used in the illicit drug business, from these three houses.
It was the goal of the operation to harvest 192 plants at each location, four times per year. From summer 2005 to December 2008, approximately 4600 marijuana plants were grown at the three houses. The high-grade, hydroponic marijuana was being grown to sell at $5000 to $5200 per pound, and it was estimated that the cultivation operation yielded about 30 pounds per location, per harvest. According to these figures, the marijuana cultivation organization yielded the organization approximately $3.6 million from summer 2005 to December 2008.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Tromblay is in charge of the prosecution.
