A Harrison County
Howard Hickey Jr. was found
operating an illicit marijuana grow on his farm in Sardis after a search
warrant was executed by the Harrison County Street Crimes and Drug unit, the
Sheriff’s Departments SWAT team, Patrol Deputies and members of the Natural
Resources Police on Thursday.
SCAD seized 234 marijuana plants,
eight firearms, weighing scales and other items associated with marijuana
cultivation.
The seized marijuana plants have a
street value of $2,000 each and –if they were allowed to grow to maturity–
could potentially produce a pound of consumable marijuana per plant, meaning
authorities potentially brought in $468,000 worth of plants.
A tip about the operation two weeks
prior to the arrest alerted SCAD Deputies, who then began a convert
surveillance on the marijuana fields and eventually filmed Hickey tending the
marijuana plants.
Once it was confirmed Hickey was
the sole operator, the search warrant was obtained and executed.
Hickey is in custody and has been
charged with two felony counts; Cultivation of Marijuana and Possession of
Marijuana with intent to cultivate.
He was taken before Harrison County
Magistrate Warren Davis where his bond was set at $100,000 cash.
