Investigators seized 2,700 marijuana plants from an unlicensed Monroe grow operation and arrested 70-year-old Vernon Michael Lovelace. (Photo: Snohomish County Sheriff's Office)
MONROE, Wash. — A 70-year-old man faces two felony charges after investigators seized approximately 2,700 live and dried marijuana plants from an unlicensed growing operation in unincorporated Monroe.
The Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force arrested Vernon Michael Lovelace on Nov. 6 after executing a search warrant at the property with assistance from Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board enforcement officers.
The investigation began earlier this year after the Liquor and Cannabis Board received a complaint about suspected unlicensed cannabis production. The complainant reported a strong cannabis odor throughout the property, prompting the agency to refer the case to its Special Investigations Unit.
Investigators later partnered with the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force after identifying indications of an unlicensed production operation.
During the Nov. 6 search, investigators discovered and seized approximately 2,700 live and dried plants, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
Two Felony Charges Filed
Snohomish County jail records identify the suspect as Vernon Michael Lovelace. Authorities booked him into the Snohomish County Jail on two Class B felony charges:
- Manufacturing or delivering a Schedule I or II narcotic, or possessing it with intent to manufacture or deliver.
- Manufacturing or growing marijuana.
Both charges stem from the Nov. 6 investigation and list the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force as the arresting and case-tracking agency.
Court records show Lovelace appeared in Everett District Court on Nov. 8. A $40,000 bond was posted that day, according to jail records.
The Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force receives support from the Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, a program administered through the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
The Liquor and Cannabis Board said it works with local and state law enforcement agencies to investigate illegal cannabis operations and protect Washington’s regulated cannabis industry.
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