I thought that I would post this story here in hopes that the BL community might shed some light on this. It might belong in the "Drugs in the Media" forum but I thought that a more informed discussion could occur here. I am confused by several claims that the journalist and police have made in connection to this bust. I will ask my questions at the end of the article. Thank you for any consideration that you might have for this.
__________________________________________________________________
Lubbock police say top hydroponic pot dealer busted
By Robin Pyle | Avalanche-Journal
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Story last updated at 2/25/2010 - 8:47 am
Joey Sevart, a former Monterey High School baseball player, started dealing drugs in eighth grade.
Police say by the time he turned 20, he had risen to the top of the hydroponic drug trade in Lubbock County, taking in $80,000 worth of hydroponic marijuana weekly.
He owned three rental houses and several upscale vehicles.
When Lubbock police arrested the 20-year-old in May, they also seized $300,000 in property and cash from Sevart, described as the No. 1 hydro marijuana dealer in the county.
Officials made public on Wednesday the details of the arrest, waiting to release information until after Sevart was convicted to protect the investigation that also included five other arrests.
The early May drug bust that followed a yearlong, multilaw enforcement investigation struck a major blow to the local drug trade.
“We certainly put a dent in it on that day,” said Lt. Roy Bassett, the department’s narcotics commander, describing the bust as one of the larger in recent Lubbock police history.
Hydro marijuana — which is becoming very popular — is about five times as potent as regular marijuana and can cost about as much as powdered cocaine, Bassett said.
Lubbock police and the Texas Department of Public Safety seized 10 pounds of the hydro marijuana in May, but Sevart was believed to have taken in 20 pounds weekly, Bassett said. One pound was valued at about $4,000 at the time.
Officers served eight to 10 search warrants on the single day in May.
They seized $80,000 in cash and Sevart’s three Central Lubbock houses as well as several vehicles, including a BMW and a Cadillac Escalade, cash accounts and other items such as four big-screen TVs and computers.
Police Chief Dale Holton credited the joint effort for the large bust.
“We can’t do that without other agencies,” he said.
Criminal District Attorney Matt Powell on Wednesday presented the police department with a check from the seizures, which the department will use for such items as equipment and training.
He said his office was going to be more aggressive on forfeitures to send a message to criminals.
“If you’re dealing illegal narcotics, we’re going to go after everything you own,” Powell said, adding that would send a stronger message than jail time alone.
He and Bassett expressed concern over the penalties for possessing hydro marijuana. The charge is the same as regular marijuana, which does not call for stiff jail time in Texas because it is a misdemeanor charge.
To upgrade a possession charge to a felony, it takes a very large amount of marijuana.
Bassett said the issue is important because the vast majority of crimes are related to drugs.
Officials sought to get more jail time for Sevart by charging him with money laundering.
Sevart, now 21, is serving a five-year sentence for the felony charge.
He pleaded guilty June 10 in 140th District Court, according to court documents.
A message left Wednesday afternoon for Sevart’s attorney, Dan Hurley, was not returned.
Police also arrested his two associates in May: Brad Townley, 21, and James Thomas Blackstock, 20.
Townley was convicted, and the case against Blackstock is pending, according to the CDA’s office. Townly received shock probation, which required him to serve some time in a correctional facility.
Property seized in drug bust
$297,000 in cash and property, including:
• Houses: 2600 block of 29th Street; 2800 block of 24th Street; 1700 block of Avenue X.
• $80,000 in cash.
• Several cars, big-screen TVs and computers.
• Cash accounts.
Source: Lubbock Police Department
http://lubbockonline.com/stories/022510/loc_567338743.shtml
__________________________________________________________________
---How could someone produce 20 lbs. A WEEK? That is 80 lbs. a month (960 a year at $4000 a lb. that's $3,840,000) now that's alot of pot (excuse me "hydro") and money for a few teenagers. Wouldn't this take like 16 different grow operations? I'm not saying that it isn't possible but could someone crunch the numbers and tell us exactly what this would entail in terms of hardware, # of plants, gigawatts of electricity, manpower and grow space? $4000 a lb. is pretty steep but quality MJ is pretty rare in this part of Texas. I am still skeptical about someone being able to consistently move 20 lbs. each week at this price though and who would be buying it in a town of 250,000?
"When Lubbock police arrested the 20-year-old in May, they also seized $300,000 in property and cash from Sevart, described as the No. 1 hydro marijuana dealer in the county."
---only $300,000 from a $3,840,000 a year operation? Again, how could several very young dudes figure out how to hide THE REST of their supposed income? Notice how there are no specifics about the grow operation. How many lights, growing plants and other hardware? The processing centers and all of the tons of trim and kif they must have amassed?
"Lubbock police and the Texas Department of Public Safety seized 10 pounds of the hydro marijuana in May, but Sevart was believed to have taken in 20 pounds weekly, Bassett said. One pound was valued at about $4,000 at the time."
---only 10 lbs. when he produces 20 WEEKLY and in a year long investigation?
"He and Bassett expressed concern over the penalties for possessing hydro marijuana. The charge is the same as regular marijuana, which does not call for stiff jail time in Texas because it is a misdemeanor charge. To upgrade a possession charge to a felony, it takes a very large amount of marijuana."
---this was the point where I just threw up my hands in utter disbelief!
"Hydro", "regular marijuana" !!! What constitutes "regular marijuana" and high quality MJ grown in soil is not of interest or just water?! This is hilarious but then I thought about how the penalties for rock and powder based cocaine are quite different so perhaps they could actually try to up the penalty for pot grown in water!?!? I can just hear the arresting officers now "This stuff was grown in WATER, they are goin' down!" or "They think they can grow pot in WATER in this county? They are sadly mistaken, I tell you what.."
---Clearly people who think that hydroponically grown pot is always more potent are uninformed when the factors have to do more with genetics and growing conditions. Soil, water, indoor, outdoor--it doesn't matter you just need good genes and know-how. Right? I think that this attention to "hydro" is just a ruse to prevent hydroponic supply shops from operating and there are a few in this VERY conservative town.
---There are many hilarious statements made by the police in this article ("Hydro marijuana — which is becoming very popular ...") but ALL of the numbers seem to have been ridiculously inflated. I know that this is common practice for the DEA and almost all police departments so the public knows how great of a job they are doing and how ALL drug trades are so high-flying and Miami Vice-ish but this is downright sensationalistic fear mongering. I believe that these numbers were fabricated, they are lying. If this was all true then why are they getting such light penalties? One more point before I end this, Texas has always been flooded with cheap, low quality compressed pot from Mexico so an operation like this would likely attract the attention of the cartels who would probably not be happy about a significant loss in this market. These rich, white teenagers would have to be involved somehow with the Mexican mafia. Right? So, what do you think?
__________________________________________________________________
Lubbock police say top hydroponic pot dealer busted
By Robin Pyle | Avalanche-Journal
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Story last updated at 2/25/2010 - 8:47 am
Joey Sevart, a former Monterey High School baseball player, started dealing drugs in eighth grade.
Police say by the time he turned 20, he had risen to the top of the hydroponic drug trade in Lubbock County, taking in $80,000 worth of hydroponic marijuana weekly.
He owned three rental houses and several upscale vehicles.
When Lubbock police arrested the 20-year-old in May, they also seized $300,000 in property and cash from Sevart, described as the No. 1 hydro marijuana dealer in the county.
Officials made public on Wednesday the details of the arrest, waiting to release information until after Sevart was convicted to protect the investigation that also included five other arrests.
The early May drug bust that followed a yearlong, multilaw enforcement investigation struck a major blow to the local drug trade.
“We certainly put a dent in it on that day,” said Lt. Roy Bassett, the department’s narcotics commander, describing the bust as one of the larger in recent Lubbock police history.
Hydro marijuana — which is becoming very popular — is about five times as potent as regular marijuana and can cost about as much as powdered cocaine, Bassett said.
Lubbock police and the Texas Department of Public Safety seized 10 pounds of the hydro marijuana in May, but Sevart was believed to have taken in 20 pounds weekly, Bassett said. One pound was valued at about $4,000 at the time.
Officers served eight to 10 search warrants on the single day in May.
They seized $80,000 in cash and Sevart’s three Central Lubbock houses as well as several vehicles, including a BMW and a Cadillac Escalade, cash accounts and other items such as four big-screen TVs and computers.
Police Chief Dale Holton credited the joint effort for the large bust.
“We can’t do that without other agencies,” he said.
Criminal District Attorney Matt Powell on Wednesday presented the police department with a check from the seizures, which the department will use for such items as equipment and training.
He said his office was going to be more aggressive on forfeitures to send a message to criminals.
“If you’re dealing illegal narcotics, we’re going to go after everything you own,” Powell said, adding that would send a stronger message than jail time alone.
He and Bassett expressed concern over the penalties for possessing hydro marijuana. The charge is the same as regular marijuana, which does not call for stiff jail time in Texas because it is a misdemeanor charge.
To upgrade a possession charge to a felony, it takes a very large amount of marijuana.
Bassett said the issue is important because the vast majority of crimes are related to drugs.
Officials sought to get more jail time for Sevart by charging him with money laundering.
Sevart, now 21, is serving a five-year sentence for the felony charge.
He pleaded guilty June 10 in 140th District Court, according to court documents.
A message left Wednesday afternoon for Sevart’s attorney, Dan Hurley, was not returned.
Police also arrested his two associates in May: Brad Townley, 21, and James Thomas Blackstock, 20.
Townley was convicted, and the case against Blackstock is pending, according to the CDA’s office. Townly received shock probation, which required him to serve some time in a correctional facility.
Property seized in drug bust
$297,000 in cash and property, including:
• Houses: 2600 block of 29th Street; 2800 block of 24th Street; 1700 block of Avenue X.
• $80,000 in cash.
• Several cars, big-screen TVs and computers.
• Cash accounts.
Source: Lubbock Police Department
http://lubbockonline.com/stories/022510/loc_567338743.shtml
__________________________________________________________________
---How could someone produce 20 lbs. A WEEK? That is 80 lbs. a month (960 a year at $4000 a lb. that's $3,840,000) now that's alot of pot (excuse me "hydro") and money for a few teenagers. Wouldn't this take like 16 different grow operations? I'm not saying that it isn't possible but could someone crunch the numbers and tell us exactly what this would entail in terms of hardware, # of plants, gigawatts of electricity, manpower and grow space? $4000 a lb. is pretty steep but quality MJ is pretty rare in this part of Texas. I am still skeptical about someone being able to consistently move 20 lbs. each week at this price though and who would be buying it in a town of 250,000?
"When Lubbock police arrested the 20-year-old in May, they also seized $300,000 in property and cash from Sevart, described as the No. 1 hydro marijuana dealer in the county."
---only $300,000 from a $3,840,000 a year operation? Again, how could several very young dudes figure out how to hide THE REST of their supposed income? Notice how there are no specifics about the grow operation. How many lights, growing plants and other hardware? The processing centers and all of the tons of trim and kif they must have amassed?
"Lubbock police and the Texas Department of Public Safety seized 10 pounds of the hydro marijuana in May, but Sevart was believed to have taken in 20 pounds weekly, Bassett said. One pound was valued at about $4,000 at the time."
---only 10 lbs. when he produces 20 WEEKLY and in a year long investigation?
"He and Bassett expressed concern over the penalties for possessing hydro marijuana. The charge is the same as regular marijuana, which does not call for stiff jail time in Texas because it is a misdemeanor charge. To upgrade a possession charge to a felony, it takes a very large amount of marijuana."
---this was the point where I just threw up my hands in utter disbelief!
"Hydro", "regular marijuana" !!! What constitutes "regular marijuana" and high quality MJ grown in soil is not of interest or just water?! This is hilarious but then I thought about how the penalties for rock and powder based cocaine are quite different so perhaps they could actually try to up the penalty for pot grown in water!?!? I can just hear the arresting officers now "This stuff was grown in WATER, they are goin' down!" or "They think they can grow pot in WATER in this county? They are sadly mistaken, I tell you what.."
---Clearly people who think that hydroponically grown pot is always more potent are uninformed when the factors have to do more with genetics and growing conditions. Soil, water, indoor, outdoor--it doesn't matter you just need good genes and know-how. Right? I think that this attention to "hydro" is just a ruse to prevent hydroponic supply shops from operating and there are a few in this VERY conservative town.
---There are many hilarious statements made by the police in this article ("Hydro marijuana — which is becoming very popular ...") but ALL of the numbers seem to have been ridiculously inflated. I know that this is common practice for the DEA and almost all police departments so the public knows how great of a job they are doing and how ALL drug trades are so high-flying and Miami Vice-ish but this is downright sensationalistic fear mongering. I believe that these numbers were fabricated, they are lying. If this was all true then why are they getting such light penalties? One more point before I end this, Texas has always been flooded with cheap, low quality compressed pot from Mexico so an operation like this would likely attract the attention of the cartels who would probably not be happy about a significant loss in this market. These rich, white teenagers would have to be involved somehow with the Mexican mafia. Right? So, what do you think?
