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Canisteo, N.Y. —It may seem like any other home in the area nestled in the hills of Steuben County, but, according to the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, the house just past the intersection of Clinton and Pump Station roads in Cameron is an “elaborate” hydroponic-marijuana operation.
The sheriff’s office Critical Incident Response Team, along with members of the Drug Enforcement Administration office in Rochester and the county Drug Initiative Task Force from the City of Corning and Village of Bath police departments, executed a search warrant on the home at around 2 p.m. Thursday.
They arrested Charles W. Hassler, 50, and Deborah A. Hassler, 49, of Clinton Road, Cameron, charging them each with first-degree criminal possession of marijuana, a class C felony.
The home seemed ordinary. The couple lives in the upstairs, and operates a wood shop on the ground level, called Grizzly Mountain Woodworks.
But the entire basement of the home was dedicated to what the sheriff’s office deemed a million-dollar marijuana operation.
“It’s a million-dollar operation, easy,” Sheriff Joel Ordway said.
Investigators seized around 152 marijuana plants in various stages of growth, along with several drying trays full of marijuana buds, high-intensity lights, plumbing fixtures and pumps.
“We buy pot on the street, marijuana, at $140 to $180 an ounce. This is better than what we buy on the street,” Ordway said. “This is high-quality bud that’s going to go for more than that. That’s a lot of money. It’s a large operation.”
Ordway showed a computer system in one section of the basement that was allegedly used to monitor the temperature of the marijuana plants.
Because it was an indoor operation, Ordway said the home was selling marijuana year-round.
“They were harvesting every two weeks. A lot of product was leaving the residence,” the sheriff said.
The Hasslers purchased a grocery store in Cameron Mills and added a hardware department, according to their website, prior to opening up a wood shop.
The couple had been living in the home for two years, Ordway said, but he wouldn’t comment on whether Grizzly Mountain Woodworks was just a front for the marijuana operation.
According to their website, the Hasslers moved from Philadelphia to Cameron to “fulfill a dream” of running a wood shop much like Norm Abram on “The New Yankee Workshop.”
Construction on the home began in 2005, and the Hasslers moved into it in 2007, according to the site. Grizzly Mountain Woodworks began operation within a year of the couple moving into the home.
Ordway said the home was receiving 400 amps of electricity, which was unusual for a residence. The Hasslers said the high electricity usage was due to the wood shop, Ordway said.
“That was one of the flags raised,” he added.
Both subjects were arraigned before Avoca town Justice Patrick J. McMahon. Charles Hassler was sent to Steuben County Jail in lieu of $5,000 or $10,000 property bond, while Deborah Hassler was released on her own recognizance.
They are scheduled to appear in Avoca court on Nov. 10.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source:eveningtribune.com
Author: Tyler Briggs
Contact: Contact Us - Hornell, NY - Hornell Evening Tribune
Copyright: 2006-2010 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Website:Entire basement near Cameron an
The sheriff’s office Critical Incident Response Team, along with members of the Drug Enforcement Administration office in Rochester and the county Drug Initiative Task Force from the City of Corning and Village of Bath police departments, executed a search warrant on the home at around 2 p.m. Thursday.
They arrested Charles W. Hassler, 50, and Deborah A. Hassler, 49, of Clinton Road, Cameron, charging them each with first-degree criminal possession of marijuana, a class C felony.
The home seemed ordinary. The couple lives in the upstairs, and operates a wood shop on the ground level, called Grizzly Mountain Woodworks.
But the entire basement of the home was dedicated to what the sheriff’s office deemed a million-dollar marijuana operation.
“It’s a million-dollar operation, easy,” Sheriff Joel Ordway said.
Investigators seized around 152 marijuana plants in various stages of growth, along with several drying trays full of marijuana buds, high-intensity lights, plumbing fixtures and pumps.
“We buy pot on the street, marijuana, at $140 to $180 an ounce. This is better than what we buy on the street,” Ordway said. “This is high-quality bud that’s going to go for more than that. That’s a lot of money. It’s a large operation.”
Ordway showed a computer system in one section of the basement that was allegedly used to monitor the temperature of the marijuana plants.
Because it was an indoor operation, Ordway said the home was selling marijuana year-round.
“They were harvesting every two weeks. A lot of product was leaving the residence,” the sheriff said.
The Hasslers purchased a grocery store in Cameron Mills and added a hardware department, according to their website, prior to opening up a wood shop.
The couple had been living in the home for two years, Ordway said, but he wouldn’t comment on whether Grizzly Mountain Woodworks was just a front for the marijuana operation.
According to their website, the Hasslers moved from Philadelphia to Cameron to “fulfill a dream” of running a wood shop much like Norm Abram on “The New Yankee Workshop.”
Construction on the home began in 2005, and the Hasslers moved into it in 2007, according to the site. Grizzly Mountain Woodworks began operation within a year of the couple moving into the home.
Ordway said the home was receiving 400 amps of electricity, which was unusual for a residence. The Hasslers said the high electricity usage was due to the wood shop, Ordway said.
“That was one of the flags raised,” he added.
Both subjects were arraigned before Avoca town Justice Patrick J. McMahon. Charles Hassler was sent to Steuben County Jail in lieu of $5,000 or $10,000 property bond, while Deborah Hassler was released on her own recognizance.
They are scheduled to appear in Avoca court on Nov. 10.
NewsHawk: MedicalNeed:420 MAGAZINE
Source:eveningtribune.com
Author: Tyler Briggs
Contact: Contact Us - Hornell, NY - Hornell Evening Tribune
Copyright: 2006-2010 GateHouse Media, Inc.
Website:Entire basement near Cameron an
Must be good stuff they got stashed!
