Flyover led agents to marijuana plants

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As early as June, drug agents had begun using National Guard planes to search a wooded area near Edwardsville for marijuana plants that police suspected belonged to Ernest Kayser. On July 28, agents raided Kayser's house at 4372 Bohm School Road, in rural Edwardsville, and seized marijuana and *******, according to court documents.


Kayser, 42, was later charged with unlawful possession with intent to deliver more than 500 grams but less than 2000 grams of cannabis and unlawful possession of less than 15 grams of *******.


He was arrested and taken to the Madison County Jail where he posted $5,000 bond. At his Aug. 20 preliminary hearing, Kayser pleaded not guilty. He faces a jury trial Sept. 20.


The investigation into Kayser's activities began in March after police say they were tipped off that Kayser allegedly had cannabis in his home and that during the summer months he grew cannabis outdoors.


Three months later -- on June 8 -- an Illinois National Guard plane flying over a wooded area in the middle of a farm field spotted 12 to 14 cannabis plants, according to a search warrant filed Friday in Madison County Circuit Court.


Information in the warrant reveals that during the July 28 raid of Kayser's home, agents say they found bags of cannabis and a vial of ******* inside a safe in his garage. They also found several bags of cannabis in a tool box and a small bag of cannabis on a table in the living room, according to the warrant.


When M.E.G.S.I. agents later drove out to the wooded area where the surveillance was first made, they discovered a dozen cannabis plants. The area was near a soybean fields, approximately 500 yards east of the Roxana Landfill, in rural Edwardsville. The agents say they returned to the area the next day and found eight more plants.


In all, police say the 20 plants had a street value of about $20,000. Mike Dixon, director of M.E.G.S.I., said the raid was important because it's likely the marijuana would have eventually found its way to the streets of Madison County.

Edwardsville Intelligencer
Steve Horrell
09/06/2004
©Edwardsville Intelligencer 2004