300 marijuana plants seized
Bags of marijuana packaged for distribution are among items seized Wednesday at 493 Mt. Hope Ridge Road, Independence Township.
Yocum
Fullen
More than 300 marijuana plants that were growing on property in Independence Township were seized Wednesday morning when members of the Washington County Drug Task Force served a search warrant.
Detectives said they also seized 30 pounds of processed marijuana at the property and residence of Loretta G. Fullen, 53, and Foster B. Yocum, 48, at 493 Mt. Hope Ridge Road.
Also taken into custody Wednesday was Edward Mikesell, 49, of 1591 Washington Pike, Wellsburg, W.Va. Rick Gluth, task force director, said Mikesell reportedly would purchase marijuana from Fullen and Yocum and then resell it. Mikesell is accused of selling marijuana to confidential informants May 1 and 29 in a parking lot of a business on Route 844 (Washington Pike) in Independence Township.
The arrests were the result of an investigation around the alleged distribution of marijuana by Fullen and Yocum from their home, as well by residents of Brooke County, W.Va. The investigation became a joint one with the Hancock-Brooke-Weirton HIDTA Task Force.
Task force detectives obtained a sealed search warrant earlier this week from Washington County Judge Gary Gilman. Fullen and Yocum were both present when the warrant was served about 7 a.m. Wednesday. They were detained and waited outside with detectives while the premises and outbuildings were searched by other officers.
Detectives said 103 bags of suspected marijuana packaged for sale, marijuana seeds and paraphernalia were found inside the home, along with four guns. Large amounts of harvested marijuana were found in a trailer on the property.
Detectives said they found 305 plants growing about 25 yards on property behind the trailers. All the plants had active root systems, and there also was a watering system on the property, they added.
Both Fullen and Yocum allegedly told detectives they were growing marijuana on the property. Gluth said police believe the marijuana-growing operation was running for at least a year, although Yocum hinted he had been doing it for a long time.
Washington County District Attorney Gene vittone touted the importance of working with other law enforcement agencies.
“Early last year, we reached out across the state line to law enforcement and prosecutors in West Virginia,” Vittone said Wednesday. “I am grateful for the cooperation that resulted in these arrests and I hope to see more, good enforcement efforts come from this relationship.”
Illegal drug activity does stop at the state line and cooperation is vital to curbing the trafficking of illegal drugs,” he added.
Assisting the task force were state police, members of the state police Clandestine Laboratory team along with the task force from West Virginia.
All three were arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Ethan Ward. Yocum and Fullen are charged with possession with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of paraphernalia with the intent to harvest or manufacture a controlled substance and conspiracy. They were placed in Washington County jail on $200,000 bonds.
Mikesell is charged with two counts of possession and possession with intent to deliver marijuana. He was jailed on $50,000 bond.
Preliminary hearings for all three are scheduled for Sept. 22 before Ward.