Siblings arrested in marijuana grow operation

JACKSON COUNTY, Miss. (WALA) - A tip led Mississippi narcotics agents to a home for a talk, which ended with two in custody and a half-million-dollars worth of marijuana confiscated.

 Siblings Lee Holloman and Amanda James are now out on bond, but investigators said they have quite a bit of evidence to send to a grand jury.   

They are both charged with marijuana cultivation.

“We're guessing the amount of the plants was around 100,” said Lt. Ken McClenic with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force.

Investigators said they found 100 pot plants growing inside two rooms at a home on Glenn Hollow Drive

“It was only a matter of time before it got larger,” said Lt. McClenic.

Many of the seized plants were still in the growing stage, but deputies said the plants had the potential to grow a $500,000 worth of marijuana.

“There were some fully mature plants that had buds that could have been harvested,” said Lt. McClenic, “If that much marijuana was packaged it would definitely be possession with intent.”

The Jackson County Narcotics Task Force went to the home to interview the owners after receiving a call about a possible grow house.    

“He refused consent, but while we was there we could smell the odor of the green marijuana coming out of the garage which led us to have enough probable cause to obtain a search warrant,” said Lt. McClenic.

The couple may also face a charge of child neglect; one of the suspects 15-year-old daughter was present when officers searched the house.   

Jackson County authorities said indoor grow houses are common and this seizure was one of the smaller ones.