Police find marijuana operation in Pasquotank garage

ELIZABETH CITY, N.C.

A couple who authorities say had a marijuana-growing room inside a converted garage now face felony trafficking charges.

Osmany and Virlenys Palma made their first appearance in court late Friday, said District Attorney Frank Parrish.

Each was charged with two counts of trafficking in marijuana and one count each of manufacturing a schedule VI controlled substance and maintaining a dwelling for a controlled substance, according to arrest records.

They were ordered to surrender their passports and bond was set for each at $25,000, Parrish said. Osmany Palma, 35, was being held at Albemarle District Jail, and Virlenys Palma, 28, was released on an unsecured bond.

Pasquotank County investigators searched the couple's house Wednesday on the 100 block of Birdie Lane in the Matthews Acres subdivision following the arrest of Osmany Palma in South Carolina on Saturday.

He was driving through Richland when police there stopped him on Interstate 95 and found about 30 pounds of marijuana in his vehicle, said Pasquotank County Sheriff Randy Cartwright. He was charged with trafficking there and was out on bond.

The South Carolina authorities contacted the sheriff's office, which prompted the search of his home.

Inside what they thought was a garage converted into a den, authorities say they found piles of marijuana stems on raised plywood platforms, hydroponic lights attached to pulleys so they could be raised or lowered, 56 large buckets, a complicated electric setup, drainage, and a dedicated exhaust and air-conditioning system.

It appeared, Cartwright said, that the electricity to the room was independently connected to the power lines to avoid detection by the provider.

"Somebody spent a lot of time and knew what they were doing," Cartwright said during a tour of the house with news media Thursday.

He also said the FBI also was looking into the case.

The Palmas moved to the Matthews Acres neighborhood outside of Elizabeth City in 2005, Cartwright said. Both were born in Cuba but are U.S. citizens.

The sheriff said Osmany Palma operated a landscaping business. A red trailer parked in front of his house said that he specializes in waterfall and pond creations, but the local number was not active. His arrest report indicated he was an unemployed laborer.

Virlenys Palma is an attorney with the Twiford Law Firm and was highly regarded for her work, particularly with Social Services.

"I was shocked," Cartwright said. "I'm familiar with her. I've seen her in court.... She was a very well-respected attorney here."

Lauren King, (252) 338-2413, lauren.king@pilotonline.com