Police continue to probe pot bust
By Jessica Keller
Argus Observer
Thursday, September 18, 2008 10:27 AM PDT
Ontario — The Malheur County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating a large marijuana grove uprooted Monday in the Annex area near the Snake River.
Malheur County Undersheriff Brian Wolfe said investigators are still looking into the matter but do not have any suspects at the moment.
“Nobody was in the garden at the time of our arrival,” Wolfe said, adding the grove, which contained more than 1,000 marijuana plants, did not have much evidence at the scene to help identify suspects.
He said, however, investigators are following up on some leads based on information received regarding different vehicles seen at the area at different times and people coming and going from the property. Wolfe said the property where the marijuana plants were found is privately owned, but he said the property owner is not a suspect and did not appear to know the land was being used to grow marijuana.
“Yeah, I don’t think they’re real happy about it being on their land,” he said.
The grove was discovered by Oregon State Police and members of the Baker County Narcotics Task Force Monday during a routine drug air search. Most of the 1,603 marijuana plants were destroyed Monday after officers covered the plants with wood and diesel fuel and burnt them.
“We’re required to keep a certain amount of it for evidentiary purposes,” Wolfe said.
In other public safety news:
The Ontario Police Department arrested an Ontario man for criminal mischief in the 400 block of Fourth Avenue at about 4:10 a.m. today. Officers responded to the area after receiving a report about an intoxicated subject who was becoming violent and damaged another person’s vehicle. OPD Capt. Mark Alexander said Jeffery Conger, 25, was arrested and issued a citation for criminal mischief in the second degree after he kicked and damaged the vehicle of a friend who offered him a ride home. Alexander said, because of Conger’s intoxication level, he could not be lodged in the jail, which does not have a detoxification facility, and so Conger was kept at the police department until he could be released.
JIM P. wrote on Sep 18, 2008 11:34 AM: