POLICE MAKE POT BUST

TOWN OF LODI - More than a half-million dollars in marijuana was
growing or awaiting sale in a [address deleted] according to the
Columbia County Sheriff's Department.

Law enforcement seized the drugs, along with thousands of dollars in
other assets, during a search conducted Monday night and most of the
day Tuesday. Three Columbia County residents are in jail awaiting
possible charges by the District Attorney's Office.

The residence, [address deleted], belongs to [name deleted],
according to Detective Lt. Wayne Smith. The house and the nine acres
of land it sits on had 199 marijuana plants growing both inside and
outside, Smith said. The Sheriff's Department confiscated another 14
root systems and more than 30 pounds of processed and packaged marijuana.

"[name deleted] was getting marijuana from different sources as well. His
growing operation couldn't keep up with the demand," so the
[age and name deleted] had purchased other marijuana to apparently sell,
Smith said.

The street value of the processed marijuana and plants is $519,225,
Sheriff Steven Rowe wrote in a statement.

A Tuesday search also found: scales, a firearm, harvesting and
planting equipment, marijuana packaging items, an estimated $3,800 in
cash and several vehicles, ranging from lawn tractors to cars to a
mobile home, Smith said. Police also discovered documents "that would
be classified as a drug ledger," Smith said.

As such, more arrests are anticipated, he said.

Personal items are also in police custody, such as a big-screen
television and a personal computer. Several horses living on the
property are in custody of the family of another suspect, [age, name
and address deleted].

Smith said the Sheriff's Department will likely pursue a civil
forfeiture for many of the assets seized, allowable under both state
and federal laws. Forfeiture is "based on either the property or
items... that are purchased with illegal funds or are used somehow in
the commission of the crime," Smith said.

Smith said several factors, such as [name deleted] lack of legitimate
employment, indicate much of the seized property meets one or both of
those criteria.

Authorities secured a search warrant after following up on a traffic
complaint Monday that involved [name deleted] vehicle, Smith said. Deputies
tracked the vehicle in question to [name and address deleted] residence, and
smelled a strong odor of burned and raw marijuana.

"Usually when you smell raw marijuana like that, it's either growing
plants, recently harvested or a lot of high-quality unburned or unused
marijuana," Smith said.

Police arrested [two names deleted] Monday. Both are being held on
suspicion of manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of
marijuana with intent to deliver, possession of marijuana and
possession of drug paraphernalia. [name deleted] is also facing a tentative
charge of maintaining a drug trafficking place.

[name, age and address deleted], came to the Koltes Road residence
during the search and was arrested for obstructing an officer, Smith
said, but has since bonded out of jail.

Lodi police arrested [name and age deleted] Tuesday. She is being held on
charges of maintaining a drug trafficking place, manufacturing a
controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of drug
paraphernalia and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.
Lampert also had clonazepam, an anticonvulsant, without a valid
prescription at the time of her arrest, according to reports.

Smith said although [name deleted] owns the residence, [name deleted] is an
"off-and-on" resident. [name deleted] was living there temporarily, he said.

The Western District of Wisconsin U.S. Attorney's Office is assisting
in the case, Rowe said.