SUFFOLK
A family that lost its home in a house fire Sunday could face criminal charges after firefighters found what appeared to be a small marijuana growing operation inside.
The afternoon blaze caused an estimated $160,000 in damage to the house and $25,000 in damage to the family’s possessions, according to a fire department report. An adult couple and at least one teenage boy lived in the two-story home, which was insured and valued at $225,000, said Capt. Jim Judkins, a fire department spokesman.
After battling the blaze, firefighters searched for hidden flames in the house, in the 100 block of Timberlake Arch near Sentara Obici Hospital. That’s when they found marijuana plants and grow lights behind the furnace and water heater in the attic, Judkins said.
A police officer came and removed the two plants. The officer initially planned to not file charges because the plants had been damaged in the fire, but a sergeant told her the evidence could still be tested at a crime lab, said Lt. D.J. George, a police spokeswoman.
Police will decide whether to file charges after seeing the test results, George said.
In light of what the family has already lost, George said she could “certainly understand” if the decision is made to not pursue charges.
Investigators are still looking into the fire’s cause, but the evidence points to an accident, like a dropped cigarette, Judkins said. The blaze started in a storage area away from the plants, in a different part of the house, he said.
The displaced family is staying with relatives, Judkins said. Attempts to reach them through relatives were unsuccessful.
Dave Forster, (757) 222-5563, dave.forster@pilotonline.com
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"Ambersays"...good point
I would like to see it decriminalized so that the state can get the tax revenue. They could sell it right at the ABC. Have to change the name to ABMC. It think that would be more profitable than the fines, and court cost reimbursements, & spending money to incarcerate the offenders. Severe waste of state tax money. Like to see gambling legalized as well, but also severely taxed. But there are a lot of people in Va., that don't want to wake up from their Bible-Belt utopian dream. So the state of Va. is facing a billion dollar budget shortfall, & getting paid with morals instead of cold hard cash.
CH
It isn't the all drugs that are necessarily bad. I've seen plenty of people from ALL walks of life (laborers to engineers) that abuse (sorry, misuse) alcohol and legal narcotics. Only illegal drugs can be abused according to DOD (LMAO). Like the bible states it is the love of money, not the money, that is the root of evil. The drug wars imposed too many years ago proliferate because the government czars gain personally. This is no better than the criminal activity that surrounds the profits of drug sales. Decriminalization would loosen up many wasted resources in the law enforcement community. Drugs, sold and taxed, at government storefronts would greatly reduce the amount of crime associated with it. Take away the illegal profits and the criminal activity would dramatically drop. Of course, this means the government operatives that now push to keep the status quo would have to find new jobs. People will find a way to satify their desires... look at prohibition to see the fultility of it all. Lastly, two plants will not produce enough weed to make any serious money. This was for personal use only.
I've been lobbying for
I've been lobbying for decriminalization for years. Two plants for personal use doesn't even enter into the local urban drug battles - that's only enough for their own use.
Oh, no! They get giggly and sleepy, and watch funny movies before bed! Quick! Send them to jail, send them to court, so they can eat up our tax money! They might eat some little Debbie Cakes! HURRY!
Pot is not a big deal.
Drugs are bad no matter what
But didn't Ryan Frederick teach us that minor drug possession should go unpunished when you're small and frail and up against the big bag police? Hopefully this was a family of short, skinny people. And all of this over a little drugs . . . just because drugs are responsible for more and more deaths every day, fuel gang-related violence and violence among otherwise peaceful individuals, just because it's causing more birth defects, just because it helps to keep the innercities in a cycle of poverty and crime and rich drug users thinking they're above the law, why should we get all worked up over this? It's just a little drugs.
Covert crop -
this scenerio sounds more like a teen age endeavor. I suspect the teen is guilty of growing his own. Bad call any way you look at it...
Wow
Being sarcastic, are you sure they weren't serving a warrant and lobbed a smoke grenade into the house, setting it afire while searching for a growing operation? Just mocking a situation in Chesapeake that actually wasted an officers life looking for a non-existant growing operation. And, Suffolk knows that they are going to have to charge this guy. They can't possibly leave him off the hook and still save face to the rest of the world. They may be able to postpone it awhile to soften the blow, but you can bet all the money that you have in the bank, the owner/tenant will be charged. Wish you all luck and am so happy that it was not the result of a carelessly planned raid by the police and that no one was hurt. Fix your house, pay the fine for the pot, and enjoy the rest of your life!
Illegal Activity!
So you're not charged with a crime (possession of a controlled substance, intent to sell) due to "hardship" (the house burned) - does that apply when the police find the 1/4 oz bag in the car that the driver hit the phone pole with? Or when daddy is charged, but he's the only one with a job in the family?
I believe in the law being applied equally to everyone, with the courts rendering justice, tempered with mercy.
Fire Marshals Find Marijuana, No Charges Filed?
so you guys down in peanut capital of the world find a couple of " plantitas verdes " and decided not to file charges because of the hardship the family is already facing ?
we have 2 families facing hardships down in chesapeake,not because of " plantitas verdes " but maybe because a couple of " joints ".....maybe chesapeake should learn something from you guys .
Not sure that was a good thing
I think I might take the misdemeanor charge over the news publicly announcing my little covert gardening to my friends, family, and employers.
I'm Glad They Gave Them A Break
That house is tore up, from the floor up! Good thing they had insurance.