Pot Growing Operation Dismantled In Marshall County

An investigation that was initiated by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office and the Cornersville Police Department on Monday (March 11, 2013) night of this week led to the seizure of approximately an ounce of marijuana from a Cornersville resident, according to Sheriff Norman Dalton. That investigation began when Captain Bart Fagan of the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department and Officer Mark Chandler of the Cornersville Police Department conducted a “knock and talk,” with a resident of Cornersville. The resident allowed them to enter his home and turned over approximately an ounce of marijuana. As that investigation continued, law enforcement officers from those agencies along with agents of the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force stopped a vehicle being operated by Earl Anderson who resides at 3116 Rich Drive in Lewisburg. At the time that Anderson’s vehicle was stopped, officers detected a strong odor of marijuana emitting from Anderson’s vehicle. A subsequent search of that vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 2 ounces of high grade marijuana, according to Director Tim Lane of the 17th Drug Task Force. Anderson was arrested at the scene of the stop and agents of the 17th Drug Task Foerce secured a search warrant for Anderson’s residence. The search warrant was executed by officers and deputies from the Marshall County Sheriff’s Department, the Cornersville Police Department, the Lewisburg Police Department, and agents of the 17th Drug Task Force. That search resulted in an elaborate marijuana grow operation being found in the garage area of the residence and twenty plants. There were also three large Ziploc bags found in the residence that contained approximately 1.1 pounds of processed marijuana along with approximately 7 pounds of unprocessed marijuana. All of this was seized and the grow operation was completely dismantled by the officers. Anderson was charged with Possession of Schedule VI Drug for Resale and was incarcerated in the Marshall County Jail on a $3000 Bond. This is another example of law enforcement agencies working towards a common goal of removing illegal drugs from the streets of our county, according to Sheriff Dalton. This investigation continues by law enforcement and additional arrest(s) are anticipated.