TOMS RIVER – Two Ocean County residents are facing numerous criminal charges after authorities discovered a Gloucester County greenhouse filled with weed, authorities said.
Jason Andrew Bacon, 35, of Brick and Kim Christopher, 31, of Toms River were arrested during raids late Thursday at Bacon’s home on Laurel Brook Drive and a location on North Delsea Drive in Clayton Borough, Gloucester County, where the greenhouse was located outside a home, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Detectives seized 38 marijuana plants and more than five pounds of previously cultivated marijuana from the Clayton property, according to a news release issued by Della Fave.
They also seized THC wax, cash, a loaded Beretta handgun and two vehicles alleged to be used in an illegal drug operation, the news release said.
Both Bacon and Christopher are charged with maintaining a drug manufacturing facility, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute it, possession of over 50 grams of marijuana, possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a firearm during a drug offense, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.
In addition, as a result of the raid in Clayton, Bacon is charged with maintaining a fortified structure during a drug offense, one more count each of maintaining a drug manufacturing facility and possession of more than 50 grams of marijuana, and two additional counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute it.
The arrests are the result of a four-month investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Special Operations Group, the Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Guns, Gangs and Narcotics Task Force, and Brick and Clayton Borough police. Assisting those agencies were Pitman, Westville and New Jersey State Police, the U.S. Department of Treasury and the U.S. Postal Service.
Bacon is being held at the Ocean County Jail. Christopher was released from custody to await a future court date.
Credit: app.com
