Ninety-seven marijuana plants in various stages of growth and more than six pounds of marijuana were seized Sunday evening in Cutler and the property owner was arrested.
According to the Washington County Sheriff's Office, the Major Crimes Task Force executed a search warrant at 1495 Clark Road after an investigation indicated the owner, James M. Mayle Jr., 52, of 3933 Three Rivers Lane, Groveport, was operating an indoor marijuana grow facility.
Mayle was previously convicted in federal court of distribution of marijuana and cocaine and served a prison term of five years, according to a release from the sheriff's office.
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Mayle
Inside the home officers reportedly located an elaborate grow operation in an upstairs room that included duct work, grow lights, grow beds, water pumps and numerous plant growth chemicals. Agents also noticed a downstairs room that appeared to be used as a drying room for harvested marijuana.
The 97 marijuana plants were found outside the home along a well-used trail and were in containers similar to those in the upstairs grow room, according to the release.
After the search, Mayle was arrested on a second-degree felony charge of illegal cultivation of marijuana in the vicinity of a juvenile, a second-degree felony charge of assembly of items to cultivate marijuana and a fifth-degree felony charge of possession of criminal tools.
He had an initial court appearance Monday afternoon in Marietta Municipal Court, where bond was set at $35,000 each for two charges and $2,500 for the other. His next court appearance is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Friday.
He remained incarcerated in the Washington County Jail Monday night.
The Major Crimes Task Force is composed of representatives from the Marietta and Belpre police departments; the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification, the Morgan County Prosecuting Attorney and Sheriff's offices and the Washington County Prosecuting Attorney and Sheriff's offices.
