By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – A Centralia police drug investigation led officers today to a home in south Chehalis where they seized more than 150 marijuana plants growing indoors.
Sgt. Jim Shannon said their SWAT team at about 2 p.m. visited a couple who live on the 100 block of Terra Bonita Drive, off Hillcrest Road.
The two were arrested without incident, he said.
It was a “pretty garden variety” operation, Shannon said.
Justin Currier and Amber Leonard tried to present a medical marijuana “script” but they weren’t in compliance with those rules, according to Shannon.
The case grew out of an investigation that began early last month, he said. Police, through informants, have purchased marijuana from them, something that’s not okay in the world of medicinal pot, according to Shannon.
It was only a month ago when Shannon and his team confiscated another indoor crop, consisting of 90 plants at a home on Seminary Hill Road in Centralia. In that case, a pair of brothers were charged with supplying product to medical marijuana dispensaries around the state.
Officers were at the scene today until until about 4 p.m. collecting evidence. The plants were in various stages of growth, he said.
Currier and Leonard, ages not readily available, were to be booked into the Lewis County Jail for possession with intent deliver; and he was additionally to be booked for delivery of marijuana and delivery of narcotics, pills, Shannon said late this afternoon.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Man, really you guys. Marijuana? Like others have said, probably should concenrate on Meth, Bath Salts, Crack, Cocaine, and a new one “Molly” People who smoke cannabis/marijuana, not really a threat since cannabis calms the nerves and helps with Glaucoma and Cancer patients…(I wish my Grandmother had these choices, I believe she would have lived longer!) ENOUGH SAID
I agree with you Monkey’s Uncle. Also lets not forget that marijuana is a, shall we say, “pet peeve” to Mansfield. Am I stating that lightly DCE?
Your entire blog post, “Another Lewis County marijuana garden
shut down
Centralia and the surrounding areas have definitely taken a turn for the worse in the last decade concerning crime. The police really don’t seem to be doing much about the meth problem – which is a major contributing factor to robberies, theft, and assualts. GET YOUR PRIORITIES STRAIGHT. I used to live in a neighborhood that had a house that was obviously selling dope all hours of the night. The entire neighborhood called the cops on several occasions. The response? “It’s really hard to bust these people. It would take several hours of detective work to setup undercover buys.” Well…. What are you waiting for? Taxpayers money being spent on the police force should contribute to an overall feeling of personal and property safety.
Thanks lisaraye! My son’s was one of these vehicles. Stolen from his driveway in Centralia in the middle of the night. Tweakers stripped it then torched it and my kid had worked hard for years to pay for that car. The Centralia Police did NOTHING. They didn’t even come to his apartment to investigate or take a report when he called them. They just took the information over the phone. When it turned up a burnt hulk in another county, the cops up there called him in the middle of the night and demanded that HE come get it. I don’t think the vehicle’s owner should be liable after their vehicle has been stolen . . . it just adds insult to injury . . . . Especially when law enforcement doesn’t apear to be doing jack shit to apprehend the perpetrators or to prevent future car thefts from occurring.
It’s a question of priority. What to expend tax payers dollars on.
Normally, what dictates priority, seems to be either something that presents a real imminent public danger. This case dosen’t seem too fit that definition. I’m left to conclude it’s the other factor. Which is justifying the existence of a task force, and the moneys it brings in to various agencys.
To my original point, I see law enforcements conundrum as being like that of, ironically, a dope addict that can’t give up their habit.
Only law enforcements ‘ dope ‘ is the moneys recieved as federal subsidies or from property seized, then auctioned off and turned into financial assests for said agency.
Busting people for home growing cannabis is a good way to keep up the arrest qouta that can be shown to the Dept. of Justice in hopes of getting continued federal subsidies to keep the task forces going, with all the shiney toys that go along with it.
And it’s alot less risky than going after violent cartels from foriegn countries. People that home grow cannabis probably have much more assets to sieze, than say some sad sack tweekers stealing electrical wire and cars to get their fix of Mexican skag or meth.
It is still against the law to grow Marijuana and if you think thees people is just growing Marijuana your are wrong they deal in everything . Thees are the dirt bags on the streets selling it all. I agree with Gary Edgers on his comment. The most of the people thinking this is so wrong they should take a look in their back yards. Wake up people they are doing thier jobs Thank god for them.
Lewis County Law enforcement is probably the laughing stock of the state. You tools aint got nothing better to do? The meth monkeys are out stealing everything that isnt bolted to the ground all over the county. Perhaps you could pay them some attention for once. How many cars are stolen every single day in W Lewis County? Those arnt pot growers stealing OTHER peoples cars~
Mean while the Local Community Swimming Pool has been shut down for years now and Detective Shannon is Wasting the Tax Payers money for a Plant.
With all the hype about the marijuana law saving millions of dollars on enforcement many voters passed the law that still makes it a crime to grow pot if you are a citizen. Hence money will be spent on enforcement. And in typical government style beauracracy it will take about a Year before people can even apply for permits to grow and sell pot legally. Many people did not read the laws details and just thought it would be one big happy light up after December 6 th.
If they were not in compliance, then I guess they were not operating within legal definitions. If found guilty, they will probably get a fine and probation. In my opinion, the post’s in support of the police action are in all likely hood members of a police force or family members. Busting a couple people for growing some cannabis plants is a pretty low risk operation, compared too say, oh I don’t know, infiltrating a drug cartel made up of people here from another country who deal in heavy drugs like meth and heroin, and bring real violence along with them.
I think various law enforcement agencies in this state are going through a shared conundrum regarding cannabis, given it has been historically a real revenue generator in terms of siezed property and the ability to turn that property into budgetary cash for the agencys
involved. Now with laws regarding cannabis being relaxed in this state, do to a vote by it’s citizens. Law enforcement agencys’ are going to be looking at any cannabis issue’s with a fine tooth comb, to be able to find any appearance of violation. In order to continue justifying the expendatures spent on enforcement, and keep milking this cash cow for as long as they can, even though it appears this cow is just about to go dry.
Well, their not exactly running all over the county.
The Lewis County task force is made up of several agencies from Lewis County, including the City Officers, Washington State Patrol, DEA when needed, and our own Deputies. That allows a much stronger presence when taking down a drug house or other dangerous felony activity. And, yes drug houses and grows are considered dangerous and or destructive places, community wise and arrest wise.
A hand full of dopers are less likely to fight an arrest by a dozen well armed Officers than a pair of street patrol guys.
It’s all about doing the job as safely as possible for both the Officers and the Suspects.
What’s with Centralia PD running rough shod all over the county? They are conducting operations in Winlock, south Chehalis, and anyplace else you could think of that is not in their jurisdiction. Look out INTERPOL.
Please stop wasting my tax dollars. there are plenty of meth heads and heroine addicts to deal with. marijuana is a dang plant and a danger to nobody but a box of twinkies.
**What a waste…. I would say yes they are. No home owner wants a pot grow next to their home! Marijuana grows attract drug dealers, drug users, thefts, burglaries, you name it. Thanks Centralia PD! I appreciate knowing someone gives a crap about the property I am paying taxes to own.
Of police, prosecutor, (read taxpayer) resources. I suppose the citizens of Lewis County are much safer now. Sheesh.