Michelle R. Toso, left, appears before a judge in Lewis County Superior Court
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Deputies found 60 to 70 mature marijuana plants when they served a search warrant at a Salkum home with boarded up windows and arrested a woman there who said she was paid to come by weekly to tend to the indoor garden.
Michelle R. Toso, 27, of Rochester, allegedly told Lewis County sheriff’s deputies she knew it was illegal, but she needed a job and the money. She reportedly earned as much as $900 a month to water and care for the plants.
Toso was arrested on Thursday and brought before a judge on Friday in Lewis County Superior Court. She was charged with one count of manufacture of marijuana.
Charging documents in the case state the location where the search warrant was served on Thursday is 27763 U.S. Highway 12, Salkum, an address that does not appear to exist, according to Lewis County property records.
Three deputies who contacted Toso that day indicate they saw plants in two rooms, growing lights, fans and also several large black garbage bags containing processed marijuana.
It was just the week before when Lewis County sheriff’s deputies visited a family home on the 3300 block of Jackson Highway south of Chehalis and found 500 marijuana plants in the garage and 775 starter plants in another room. A 52-year-old man who said they’d just moved in a few weeks earlier was arrested and is facing the same charge.
Sheriff’s deputies are also investigating after five small marijuana gardens were discovered in the woods off Forest Service Road 25 south of Randle last week.
Manufacture of marijuana is a class C felony, with a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or a fine of $10,000.
Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Joel DeFazio on Friday asked that Toso be allowed release on a $10,000 unsecured bond, telling the judge he could find no criminal history for her in this state. Judge Joely O’Rourke agreed.
Her father who was in the courtroom told temporary defense attorney Rachael Tiller they had retained a Seattle lawyer. Toso’s arraignment is scheduled for Thursday.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
BobbyinLC says:
Sunday, September 3, 2017 at 7:31 pm
“So I guess the brain donors who crafted the new marijuana legalization law really worded it well. It was supposed to reduce the time law enforcement would spend enforcing marijuana laws.”
Nope.
It was never intended to anything for law enforcement, just help raise more tax dollars through the licensed sales of marijuana, and come down hard on those who try to grow and sell it outside the Washington State regulated system.
What a refreshing change it would be if pot smokers and other voters would take the time to read these bills before voting them into law!
She had one on retainer in the event something like this happened. It’s not a matter of if they come knocking it’s a matter of when. We have more bs laws on the books than a priest has rape victims. Time to blow the whistle on Olympia. Senator Braun, Jaime harrera-butler time to speak for your republican base. We don’t like our court rooms full of minor offenders while the real crooks are free (public officials) Get the message. We want tabs lowered too. No water well restrictions, cheap fuel and smokes. Sick of paying for immigrant ebt cards, health care and giving illegal drivers licences without citizenship or visas. Protect our state! Make Washington great again.
Only does do dope.
Something doesn’t fit:
1) She took the job because she needs money.
2) She’s hiring a Seattle lawyer for her defense.
Something doesn’t fit.
Sounds like the search warrant may be invalid.
So I guess the brain donors who crafted the new marijuana legalization law really worded it well. It was supposed to reduce the time law enforcement would spend enforcing marijuana laws.
If a drug is going to be legalized then legalize it completely. It seems the state wanted to be sure they would control all of the profits from the sale of marijuana so the law that makes it legal is not really making it legal.
All those stoners who we saw on the news the night the law passed smoking joints and being so happy never really read the law.
I am not a fan of legalizing drugs but if that is what the “majority” wants then pass a law that really results in law enforcement not having to enforce some parts of the “legal” drug.