Shaune Lawrence is a resident of 5 Fleming Court in Palm Coast. Early this morning (at 4 a.m.) he called 911 to report a home invasion. He told deputies that two men had tried to rob him.
Deputies spoke with Lawrence, 54, and gained consent to enter his home–to search for the two men who were purportedly still inside.
Instead of finding the men, deputies discovered a spare bedroom and a bathroom used as active marijuana “grow rooms.” The rooms had an elaborate grow setup with lights and chemicals used for cultivating pot, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office reported.
The alleged robbers were not found in the house.
Deputies dismantled the grow equipment. A total of 110 marijuana plants were removed from the residence by Sheriff’s Office detectives called to the scene. At full potential, these plants would have yielded 55 pounds of marijuana with a street value of $44,000.
Lawrence is charged with cultivating marijuana, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. He’s being held on $5,000 bond.
Lawrence’s is the fourth busted pot house in Palm Coast in the last 10 months. In February, the Sheriff’s Office busted a marijuana-grow house at 20 Princeton Lane in Palm Coast, where the plant count was cleverly kept at 24, one short of triggering the stiffer penalties. In June, a woman unraveled her husband’s operation after she discovered he’d been growing pot at 111 Birchwood Drive, where cops discovered an elaborate grow house with a ventilation system. And late last month at yet another house, at 15 Wheatfield Drive, the sheriff’s office removed 48 plants.
Advocates of legalization have been encouraged by the trend in other states. “I truly believe this is the year we’re going to see some leadership on this issue,” Jodi James, executive director of the Florida Cannabis Action Network (FLCAN), told Sunshine State News in November. FLCAN calls itself the state’s leading marijuana reform group.
“In Washington and Colorado, the people and their government have discovered that the sky didn’t fall in after Nov. 6, and they were able to expand their regulation and control,” she said. “What we have right now in Florida is putting cannabis into the hands of black markets, criminals, terrorists, and people who would damage our society from the inside-out. That’s not control, but that’s what you get with prohibition.”
L.D. Ablo says
A street value of $44K? Will somebody please tell me what street this is as I have a garage full of junk to unload.
rickg says
Normally I would just complain about police resources being used to confiscate natural growing plant life but in this case the owner “allows” the police to enter and search his property. He must have been asleep during his civics classes especially the 4th that protects against unreasonable search and seizures…. but then again this guy doesn’t strike me as a Mensa member. One should never voluntarily give up your Constitutional rights.
Magicone says
The tip of the iceberg !!! No jobs………… Gotta make some $ someway, beats stealing or robbing someone at gunpoint. Legalize it tax the growers and consumers…………..end of problem. It is a crying shame that Flagler County Sheriffs office can take you to jail for a roach in your ashtray.
glad fly says
reefer madness.
confidential says
If that was a rental home ..did the landlord do any background check of his renter?
If a home owner….I was concerned because I believe one of our city council members resides in that street…
Dan says
The cops shouldn’t be worried about grows like this they should be more worried about all the Meth labs in the mondecks!
Ben Dover says
Gotta love these guys who get so high on the pot they are growing , they forget its still illegal in the State of Floriduh , Why in the world would you call police to search your house when you know you have pot plants growing in two rooms. I`m sure it wasn t the big bust they say it is , things always seem to be blown out of proportion here , like a hand grenade lighter in a tree, that closes down neighborhoods for hrs, or some guy arguing with his wife while buttering his toast , 8 hrs later swat team arrest him for threatening her with a deadly weapon , kind of reminds me of that song Alice`s Restaurant, with the helicopters and 8×10 colored glossy photo`s of an envelope under a pile of garbage. Guy probably had 4 or 5 saplings and a bunch of seeds in wet paper towels that sprouted. One morning at work I was bringing pallets of sod around the front of our store , a woman who looked to be 80 or older, forgot to use her turn signal with a cop behind her , he pulled her over , when I came back with another load, there were 3 cop cars and 5 deputies outside her window , the little old lady shook her head and mouthed idiots to me , cracks me up everytime I see them with someone pulled over, doing the exact same thing.
[email protected] says
he is not too intelligent, engaged in illegal activity and he invites law enforcement over.
Deep South says
Wasn’t their a another pot bust just recently , that had another older black man living in a home ? Sounds suspicious. If this is a rental, doesn’t the landlord or property manager do a background checks on these people ?
ANONYMOUSAY says
Gotta love all the legalize “Marijuana” propaganda. Just like the legal opiate based pill mills. If somebody doesn’t want to pay or can’t pay for a mind altering plant, substance or whatever. Ready or not they are coming for yours anyway they have to.
Ben Dover says
Lol Anonymous , no one will ever come looking to rob you of pot if it is legal , you don t get addicted to it like opiates, do they come try and rob your beer? , because beer is more addicting then pot, and so is cigarettes, don t speak of that in which you do not know,there is no such thing as reefer madness, its another fable this backward government tried to portray on society.
The truth says
Geez wake up people has marijuanna ever caused a single death that can be talked about , aspiring,cigs,alcohol,legal prescription pills and just about every thing else on earth kills millions so I guess the last 40 years of prohibition has been a good way for government ,prisons ,and police to make money from stupid tax payers that keep believing the lies created by them on how harmful weed is.People stop being mindless robots of society and do some research before you run your mouths about things you don’t know or understand huge pill manufactures make sure that weed is kept illegal cause the plants heals hundreds of health problems and that will hurt there pockets
kmedley says
Had there been a video taken, it would be a candidate for World’s Dumbest … He allowed the police to enter the home to search… I’m still laughing.
rthomp11 says
ANOTHER grow house in Paradise Palm Coast?? Aren’t ALL the drugs suppose to be in Mondex?
Deep South says
Wasn’t their a recent pot bust recently, that involved another older man living in a home. Seems suspicious. If this home was a rental how come the owner of the property manager do background checks on this guys.
Outsider says
Fifty-four??? Wow, if that’s what pot does to you, I don’t want it!
confidential says
@rthomp11.
I believe that to attract less attention, weeds are now grown in the city (urban setting) and sold in the Mondex (countryside). You guys there have enough surveillance now, with the home made moonshine as reported earlier. Looks like some elder folks are in need to make a living nowadays. Our unemployment rate still high….
Lonewolf says
While other states are getting rid of outdated marijuana laws, we continue to make arrests and ruin peoples lives. I don’t think we would even need to build a new jail here if we got rid of these laws
Beach Girl says
No problem sir. If your case is resolved as the others, you will only get probation.
FL informed voter says
Meanwhile, across the country you can actually take legal classes that teach you how to grow marijuana.
FloridaMeMee says
He was pretty dumb to call the police because you think you have been robbed .. meanwhile .. you are growing pot in a couple of the rooms … brilliant.
A background check does not say .. Occupation .. Pot Grower