Advertisement. Advertise with us

100 Marijuana Plants

Seized In Morris Raid

Christian Balmaceda
Joseph Ali

MORRIS – Two men were arrested and 100 pounds of marijuana seized after the Otsego County Sheriff’s Department raided two indoor growing operations in Morris and New Lisbon.

Christian Balmaceda, 47, Morris, and Joseph D. Ali, 49, New Lisbon, were both arrested after an investigation lead the Sheriff’s Deputies and the DEA to search the residences of both men.

There, they allegedly found elaborate indoor grow operations were located at both locations. Investigators located a sophisticated and substantial grow and cultivation operation, with over 100 marijuana plants in various stages of maturation. Considering the legality of cannabis, whether it’s recreational or medicinal, and the likes of different legal dispensaries, budtenders and various facilities, including the likes of these Missouri medical marijuana certification clinics as well as other state’s variations, you’d expect a medium-size grow like this to be for legal purposes in the medical marijuana industry, instead of being for illicit trades. Nevertheless, there are some states that allow recreational marijuana with some dispensaries offering glass pipes and other accessories for recreational use.

The plants were allegedly being grown using sophisticated ventilation, lighting, and water systems. Whilst nitrogen pollution wreaks havoc on local ecosystems, there are better ways to grow the plant than what was being found in this location.Deputies also allegedly found various seeds, growing media, staged fertilizer, controlled substance and a loaded 12 gauge shotgun during the search.

Balmaceda was charged with Criminal Possession of Marijuana in the first degree, a class C felony, Unlawful Growing of Cannabis, a class A misdemeanor and three counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, a class A misdemeanor.

Ali was charged with Criminal Possession of Marijuana in the second degree, a class D felony, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the third degree, a class D felony, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the seventh degree, a class A misdemeanor and Unlawfully Growing of Cannabis, a class A misdemeanor. Both were remanded to the Otsego County Jail.

Posted

3 Comments

  1. Oh no! Marijuana? Thank God they got rid of these horrible people and left the heroin dealers alone! I had two marijuanas once and it ruined my life!

  2. The DEA really an investigation on this I know one of the guys us harmless and one of the nicest guys it’s marijuana it’s almost legal how bout some investigation on people who deal.heroin and that all the missing kids they are bragging about this bust it’s not a bust they should work on real crimes and find these missing kids I’m on Joe’s Ali’s side he not a criminal

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Related Articles

SCOLINOS: It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide

COLUMN VIEW FROM THE GAME It’s All We Need To Know: Home Plate 17 Inches Wide Editor’s Note:  Tim Mead, incoming Baseball Hall of Fame president, cited John Scolinos, baseball coach at his alma mater, Cal Poly Pomona, as a lifelong inspiration, particularly Scolinos’ famous speech “17 Inches.” Chris Sperry, who published sperrybaseballlife.com, heard Scolinos deliver a version in 1996 at the American Baseball Coaches Association in Nashville, and wrote this reminiscence in 1916 in his “Baseball Thoughts” column. By CHRIS SPERRY • from www.sperrybaseballlife.com In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching…

Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told

CLICK HERE FOR MEMO TO SCHOOLS Sports Can Resume, Superintendents Told COOPERSTOWN – In a memo released Friday evening, county Public Health Director Heidi Bond advised local school superintendents that sports can resume as early as Monday. “Effective Feb. 1, participants in higher-risk sports may participate in individual or distanced group training and organized no/low-contact group training,” Bond wrote, “…including competitions and tournaments, if permitted by local health authorities.”…

Piper Seamon Scores 1,000th point

1,000 THANKS! Piper Seamon 5th CCS Girl To Hit High Mark The Cooperstown Central student section erupts as Piper Seamon scores her 1,000th career point in the Hawkeyes’ 57-39 win over Waterville at home last evening. Seamon becomes the fifth girl and only the 14th player in school history overall to score 1,000 points.  Inset at right, Pipershares a hug with teammate Meagan Schuermann after the game was stopped to acknowledge her achievement. Seamon will play basketball next year at Hamilton College. (Cheryl Clough/AllOTSEGO.com)  …

Putting the Community Back Into the Newspaper

Now through March 30, new annual subscribers to “The Freeman’s Journal” and AllOtsego.com (or subscribers who have lapsed for two or more years) have an opportunity to help their choice of one of four Otsego County charitable organizations.

$5.00 of your subscription will be donated to the nonprofit of your choice:

Cooperstown Farmers’ Market, Cooperstown Food Pantry, Greater Oneonta Historical Society or Super Heroes Humane Society.