Woman Arrested After Hudson Valley Pot Farm Fire, Police Say
A Hudson Valley woman was arrested after an alleged pot farm went up in smoke. Police say nearly $1 million worth of weed was found.
On June 6, members of the Town of Marlborough police and fire departments responded to a structure fire at 212 Bingham Lane in Marlboro.
First responders quickly determined that the entire home had been converted to an indoor marijuana growing and processing operation, police say.
Investigators also alleged that a neighboring residence on the property was also housing an indoor marijuana operation.
Through an investigation, police executed search warrants at that location at 6 different locations in Marlboro and the Town of Newburgh.
The homes were all large, single family, new construction homes. Three were converted to facilitate marijuana operation on all floors, police say.
Police claim they seized over 300 pounds of marijuana, grow lights, blowers, filters, ballasts and fertilizer, drug packaging material, scales, counter surveillance equipment, instructions and ledgers as well as trace evidence.
As a result of the evidence collected from the search warrants and as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, police arrested 37-year-old Leslie A. Roman of Marlboro in Poughkeepsie.
She was charged with two counts of first-degree criminal possession of marijuana and sent to Ulster Count Jail. More charges against her are pending, police say.
The street value of the seized marijuana is estimated at $800,000, according to authorities. It's believed the cause of the fire was an electric motor in one of the complex ventilation systems constructed as part of the grow operation, police say.
A 34-year-old man from Marlboro was previously arrested in connection with the alleged pot farm.
Police say more arrests regarding this investigation are likely.