Pair busted on marijuana charges
Sheriff Lee Becker, several of his deputies, and Hillsboro assistant police Chief Jessey Hiebert discovered a marijuana-growing operation on the afternoon of Sept. 10, near Ramona.
Deputy Rollin Schmidt made the initial discovery, outside the suspects' residence.
The illegal plant was found both inside and outside a house at 3350 Quail Creek in Marion County. On Thursday, suspects Steven Jo Barrett, 23, and Erin Elizabeth Kelly, 20, turned themselves in to Herington Police Chief Gordon Schroeder.
Both were booked into the Marion County Jail on suspicion of child endangerment, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Each posted a $5,000 bond and was released pending further court hearings.
The rental house is on a Scully lease, Becker said.
After Schmidt made the initial finding, he and Hiebert worked with Marion County Attorney Susan Robson to obtain a search warrant for the home in the northwest part of the county.
The search warrant was executed at 2:40 p.m. last Wednesday. Thirty-two plants were seized. Three indoor marijuana "grows" were found, in addition to the outdoor grow.
Drug paraphernalia, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana were found at the home.
One of the indoor growing areas was in a child's closet, a second was in a "party room" closet, and a third was in kitchen cabinets, Becker said.
Becker, Hiebert, and Sheriff's Deputies Sgt. Jeff Soyez, Schmidt, Mike Vineski, and Larry Starkey were at the house processing evidence until about 8:20 p.m.
