Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
SOUTH BEND - A Warsaw man faces up to a 20-year sentence after being convicted on federal marijuana growing charges.
Randy Watters, 54, of 808 E. CR 400S, was convicted Tuesday in Federal Court for the Northern District of Indiana.
Federal prosecutor John Maciejczyk said a 12-member jury deliberated for an hour Tuesday after hearing two days of testimony and argument. The verdict was returned at 3:45 p.m.
Watters was charged with possessing with intent to deliver marijuana in excess of 100 plants, a federal felony.
Sentencing is set for July 5 at 9 a.m. and Watters faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
According to court records, Watters was arrested by state police after a Sept. 20 search on his property on CR 400S revealed a marijuana-growing operation.
A search warrant was issued after marijuana plants were discovered during an aerial surveillance Sept. 12.
Police believe Watters became aware of the surveillance and uprooted 100 plants from his property and moved them to a neighbor's property to dry.
Those plants were discovered during the search, along with 29 additional plants still growing just north of Watter's property.
Police said when they searched the property, they found Watters tending the marijuana plants.
Nine pounds of marijuana were confiscated.
Police said the value of the plants, depending on how they were processed and packaged for sale, could range from $9,250 to $29,250.
The case was prosecuted in federal court because the quantity of plants - more than 100 - constitutes a federal offense.
State troopers Dan Ringer and Chad Larsh and Kosciusko County Drug Task Force officer Mike Speigle cooperated with the investigation.
