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http://www.enctoday.com/news/city-61357-kfpress-sheriff-pot.html
Alleged pot grower stole his electricity from city grid, sheriff's office says
January 15, 2010 12:00 AM
Wesley Brown
Staff Writer
The man allegedly growing marijuana in a school bus buried in his backyard in the Southwood community was stealing electricity from the City of Kinston to power the pot-producing operation, the Lenoir County Sheriffs Office said Thursday.
Capt. Jim Oldenburg said Lensey Dail, charged with maintaining a dwelling for producing marijuana yesterday, tapped into the citys main grid and was feeding power through a 110 voltage wire into the bus 8 feet beneath his backyard at 2179 N.C. 58 South. The city is the retail power provider for that area of the county.
He was stealing electricity from the City of Kinston through what is called back feeding, Oldenburg said. He found a source into the citys grid and tapped into the line to get power for free.
A series of drop chords fed electricity into the lamps from an 110V wire, he said. The sheriffs office estimated operating costs of the grow would have doubled Dails electrical bill, if it fed off his home account.
This guy is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, Oldenburg said of the self-employed concrete pourer. He is knowledgeable enough in the engineering of many different things to get by in making them work.
The offices Sgt. Eddie Eubanks said Dail took out the seats of the bus and divided it into two sections to grow two different types of marijuana with heating lamps.
From the back to the front, there was minimal walking space in the bus, Eubanks said. It was tight. He used every space he had available.
The bus was buried under a tool shed 30 feet from Dails house. Eubanks said a hidden door in the shed led to an opening in the ground and steps leading down. From the hole, authorities were able to access the back of the 40-foot-long bus, where lower qualities of weed were housed. The higher quality marijuana was stored in the front.
In the back was regular Mexican/homegrown weed, and in front was, what is called, Purple Haze, Eubanks said. In these, you could actually see a purple lure in the buds and crystals showing.
The sheriffs office said the regular Mexican/homegrown weed sold for $900 a pound; the hydroponic weed, for $3,000 to $5,000 a pound.
Eubanks said Dail had two standing heat lamps, one in each section, running on timers, and 50 LED lamps mounted on the ceiling, each with a couple of hundred of red and blue bulbs, which he said were running continuously.
Also running nonstop Eubanks said, were oscillating fans and an AM/FM radio playing rap music, to make a healthy habitat for the plants.
Many people believe it is healthy to talk to plants, Eubanks said. The plants were very healthy and green. He knew what he was doing, in terms of keeping the pH level right in the soil and the plants pruned so they would not overgrow.
Lenoir County Sheriff Billy Smith said Dail watered the bushy plants manually with garden hoses and buckets. He said a PVC pipe ran underground along the wall of the bus to provide access to water beneath the ground.
It was really wet and damp down there and very humid, Eubanks said. When you walked down there, you could have taken your shirt off, it was so warm.
The sheriff said Dail dried the plants by hanging them in plastic grocery bags along the ceiling or by storing them in tool boxes on the floor. He is unsure how Dail was able to dig the hole, nearly 1,000 cubic feet in size, to fit the bus.
He had to fix it where he could drive it down there, Smith said. You just dont pick up a bus.
Smith added the grow was the first of its kind here.
This is the first one we have ever had in Lenoir County that has been underground, Smith said. You hear about these types of grows in law enforcement magazines, but never see them. Most grows are built in closets or along creek banks and in tomato patches. He obviously researched this and knew what he was doing.
Eubanks said Dail admitted to being involved in dealing drugs, but has not confessed to building and designing the grow.
Dails wife, Desiz, and Jerome Murriell, of 1447 Cobblestone Drive, were also charged in the Tuesday bust. Authorities say she knew Lensey bought and sold dope.
Lensey Dail, a convicted felon, and Murriell were charged with conspiracy to traffic marijuana, possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana, selling and delivering marijuana and maintaining a vehicle and residence for marijuana. These two remain in custody.
Desiz Dail, who made bond, was charged with trafficking marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for marijuana.
Oldenburg said more charges are pending against Lensey Dail.
Wesley Brown can be reached at 252-559-1075 or [email protected].
Inside the Magic Bus
Details of underground marijuana growing operation unearthed Wednesday:
-Bus was 40 feet long and buried 8 feet below ground. Digging the hole displaced about 1,000 cubic feet of earth.
-Power supplied to 50 LED grow lights by 110-volt line tied directly to the city power grid
-68 plants inside the bus, each about 4 feet tall
-Bus was kept at a constant 85 degrees F
-Operation was capable of producing enough marijuana to sell 50-100 pounds a week
Alleged pot grower stole his electricity from city grid, sheriff's office says
January 15, 2010 12:00 AM
Wesley Brown
Staff Writer
The man allegedly growing marijuana in a school bus buried in his backyard in the Southwood community was stealing electricity from the City of Kinston to power the pot-producing operation, the Lenoir County Sheriffs Office said Thursday.
Capt. Jim Oldenburg said Lensey Dail, charged with maintaining a dwelling for producing marijuana yesterday, tapped into the citys main grid and was feeding power through a 110 voltage wire into the bus 8 feet beneath his backyard at 2179 N.C. 58 South. The city is the retail power provider for that area of the county.
He was stealing electricity from the City of Kinston through what is called back feeding, Oldenburg said. He found a source into the citys grid and tapped into the line to get power for free.
A series of drop chords fed electricity into the lamps from an 110V wire, he said. The sheriffs office estimated operating costs of the grow would have doubled Dails electrical bill, if it fed off his home account.
This guy is a jack-of-all-trades and master of none, Oldenburg said of the self-employed concrete pourer. He is knowledgeable enough in the engineering of many different things to get by in making them work.
The offices Sgt. Eddie Eubanks said Dail took out the seats of the bus and divided it into two sections to grow two different types of marijuana with heating lamps.
From the back to the front, there was minimal walking space in the bus, Eubanks said. It was tight. He used every space he had available.
The bus was buried under a tool shed 30 feet from Dails house. Eubanks said a hidden door in the shed led to an opening in the ground and steps leading down. From the hole, authorities were able to access the back of the 40-foot-long bus, where lower qualities of weed were housed. The higher quality marijuana was stored in the front.
In the back was regular Mexican/homegrown weed, and in front was, what is called, Purple Haze, Eubanks said. In these, you could actually see a purple lure in the buds and crystals showing.
The sheriffs office said the regular Mexican/homegrown weed sold for $900 a pound; the hydroponic weed, for $3,000 to $5,000 a pound.
Eubanks said Dail had two standing heat lamps, one in each section, running on timers, and 50 LED lamps mounted on the ceiling, each with a couple of hundred of red and blue bulbs, which he said were running continuously.
Also running nonstop Eubanks said, were oscillating fans and an AM/FM radio playing rap music, to make a healthy habitat for the plants.
Many people believe it is healthy to talk to plants, Eubanks said. The plants were very healthy and green. He knew what he was doing, in terms of keeping the pH level right in the soil and the plants pruned so they would not overgrow.
Lenoir County Sheriff Billy Smith said Dail watered the bushy plants manually with garden hoses and buckets. He said a PVC pipe ran underground along the wall of the bus to provide access to water beneath the ground.
It was really wet and damp down there and very humid, Eubanks said. When you walked down there, you could have taken your shirt off, it was so warm.
The sheriff said Dail dried the plants by hanging them in plastic grocery bags along the ceiling or by storing them in tool boxes on the floor. He is unsure how Dail was able to dig the hole, nearly 1,000 cubic feet in size, to fit the bus.
He had to fix it where he could drive it down there, Smith said. You just dont pick up a bus.
Smith added the grow was the first of its kind here.
This is the first one we have ever had in Lenoir County that has been underground, Smith said. You hear about these types of grows in law enforcement magazines, but never see them. Most grows are built in closets or along creek banks and in tomato patches. He obviously researched this and knew what he was doing.
Eubanks said Dail admitted to being involved in dealing drugs, but has not confessed to building and designing the grow.
Dails wife, Desiz, and Jerome Murriell, of 1447 Cobblestone Drive, were also charged in the Tuesday bust. Authorities say she knew Lensey bought and sold dope.
Lensey Dail, a convicted felon, and Murriell were charged with conspiracy to traffic marijuana, possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana, selling and delivering marijuana and maintaining a vehicle and residence for marijuana. These two remain in custody.
Desiz Dail, who made bond, was charged with trafficking marijuana and maintaining a dwelling for marijuana.
Oldenburg said more charges are pending against Lensey Dail.
Wesley Brown can be reached at 252-559-1075 or [email protected].
Inside the Magic Bus
Details of underground marijuana growing operation unearthed Wednesday:
-Bus was 40 feet long and buried 8 feet below ground. Digging the hole displaced about 1,000 cubic feet of earth.
-Power supplied to 50 LED grow lights by 110-volt line tied directly to the city power grid
-68 plants inside the bus, each about 4 feet tall
-Bus was kept at a constant 85 degrees F
-Operation was capable of producing enough marijuana to sell 50-100 pounds a week
