After receiving a phone tip, noticing the blacked-out basement windows, and observing that this home was using a greater amount of electricity, police obtained a search warrant and raided the home on October 8, 2002, finding 293 marijuana plants.
Does that seem like a lot of plants? It is impossible for me to characterize the size of this operation just based on the number of plants. But I know one thing - police found 292 more plants on Hillsborough Road than they found at the home of Millstone Mayor Gail Anglada in 1974!
Here's how The New York Times reported the story on July 12, 1974.
Millstone Mayor Seized on Drug Count
Mayor Gail Anglada of Millstone, and her husband, Elgin, were arrested Wednesday by Somerset County detectives on drug charges after the police found marijuana in the living room and in a bedroom and a marijuana plant growing outside the house. Mrs. Anglada, an instructor at Rutgers University, and her husband, a Rutgers professor, were arraigned on charges of possession of more than 25 grams of marijuana and were released in their own recognizance. The offense is a high misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
County Prosecutor Stephen Champi said the couple came under suspicion "quite by accident" last Tuesday when two county investigators, wanting to examine property-tax records, found the Municipal Building closed and went to the Mayor's home. There, Mr. Champi said, the conversation turned to marijuana use in the borough and some of the couple's comments made the detectives suspicious. The Mayor was elected in 1972 to fill an unexpired term and has announced her candidacy for reelection in November.
Note that the Angladas were facing a maximum penalty of five years for one marijuana plant, while Mr. McCallister was sentenced to ten years for 293!
No comments:
Post a Comment