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Charges filed related to marijuana
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Published: June 6, 2009
Three people were arrested after deputies discovered a marijuana growing business in western Iredell County.
Caleb Christian Fields, 27, of Statesville, Michael Merle Hampton, 28, of Stony Point and Curtis Daniel Vanskiver, 25, of Concord, were all charged with manufacture of marijuana and felony possession of marijuana.
Lt. David Ramsey of the Iredell County Sheriff's Office said the narcotics division and Aggressive Criminal Enforcement (ACE) team executed a search warrant at 134 Sebastian Lane on Thursday.
Ramsey said a growing operation was located in the upstairs loft of the A-frame style residence.
An underground bunker, previously used to grow marijuana, but currently empty, was also located, Ramsey said.
The growing operation consisted of two high intensity lights, which were powered by light ballasts, Ramsey said.
He said deputies seized 33 growing marijuana plants and five harvested plants, which were drying.
Investigators also located three stolen motorcycles, five stolen N.C. Department of Transportation street signs and one Ford Thunderbird with an altered vehicle identification plate, said Iredell Sheriff Phil Redmond.
The N.C. Department of Motor Vehicles was called in to assist in the investigation of the vehicles, which were stolen from Mecklenburg County, and the signs.
Additional charges are pending, Redmond said, regarding the signs and vehicles.
Redmond said the discovery of this indoor growing operation seems to be a trend. In the past two years, he said, the sheriff's office has located a number of indoor operations, some concealed underground.
He credited tips from the public with helping lead to some of these seizures.
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