Over $40,000-worth of marijuana was seized in a bust Friday night, and the man who was allegedly growing the drug in his home arrested.
David Lee Baisey Jr., 49, of 3852 River Road, Washington was charged with manufacturing marijuana, maintaining a dwelling to facilitate the manufacture, possession with intent to sell and deliver marijuana, felony possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Four lbs., 9.2 ounces of recently harvested marijuana — stored in 50 mason jars — and growing plants were confiscated. Two separate “grow rooms” with elaborate lighting set-ups were found in the home, said the spokesman.
Street value of this type of marijuana is $20 per gram. At 4 lbs., 9.2 ounces (2,074 grams), the value of the crop would be close to $42,000 if packaged and sold.
Drug unit investigators initially had the residence under surveillance, but stopped a vehicle driven by a person that they witnessed leaving the home, the spokesman explained.
“The odor of fresh-growth marijuana (in the vehicle) was overwhelming,” he said, adding that a search of the vehicle turned up between four and five grams of the drug, which pointed investigators toward the source inside the home.
According to the arresting agents, Baisey has no previous record.