TEEN TURNS IN DAD FOR GROWING POT

A town of Beloit teenager who said he was tired of "crack-heads"
sleeping in his house took matters into his own hands earlier this
month, telling police his father was growing marijuana.

The man was charged Tuesday in Rock County Circuit Court with one
felony count of possession with intent to deliver narcotics, officials
from the Rock County clerk of courts office reported. He faces a
maximum $50,000 fine or 15 years in prison or both if convicted. He
was out of jail Tuesday on a $500 signature bond. The man's name is
being withheld to protect the teen.

According to a police report, town of Beloit police responded to a
call at Turner High School on June 3 about a truant student. When they
found the 17-year-old, he told police he was unable to act normal
because "his parents were so messed up." He also told police his dad
was growing marijuana in a cabinet in the family's house and
"crack-heads" were sleeping over in the home.

When the teen let police into his house, they found a 5-foot-tall gray
metal cabinet containing two florescent lights and seven marijuana
plants growing in buckets, according to the criminal complaint.

Town of Beloit Deputy Chief Willis Abegglen said he wasn't surprised
by the situation. He said several children in the area have turned in
their parents when they ran into trouble, often in an effort to escape
their home. "This is nothing. They do it all the time."

"It's nice to see kids outsmarting their parents in a good way instead
of in a bad way," he said.

Madison Police Lt. Carl Strasburg said Madison also has seen instances
of children turning in their parents for keeping drugs in their home.

"It's happened before, but I would characterize it as rare," he said.