Posted on 07/28/2005 4:42:54 AM PDT by Born Conservative
Man, 75-year-old mother-in-law charged; he blames Russian mob
PLYMOUTH (PA) – Police responding to a complaint of an open door were stunned to discover an elaborate marijuana-growing system inside an East Main Street residence occupied by a Russian immigrant and his elderly mother-in-law.
Equally shocking, police said, is the alleged grower’s allegation that the Russian mob forced him to care for the plants to repay $60,000 he lost in a card game in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Police spent several hours Tuesday night removing 200 marijuana plants and various equipment from the 247 E. Main St. home occupied by Boris Petrov, his 12-year-old son and his 75-year-old mother-in-law, Lidiya Gurinovich. Also confiscated was a yet undermined amount of harvested marijuana and about $2,300 in cash.
Petrov, 55, and Gurinovich, were each charged Wednesday with manufacturing a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance. They were arraigned before District Judge Donald Whittaker in Nanticoke and taken to the Luzerne County Correctional Facility on $50,000 bail.
Gurinovich does not speak English. She appeared bewildered as Whittaker spoke to her through Petrov, who translated for her. Petrov also appeared at times to have difficulty understanding the proceedings. He made a phone call to someone, to whom he spoke Russian, before being led off to prison.
According to an arrest affidavit, Petrov, speaking through a translator, admitted to police Tuesday that he was responsible for the plants. But he maintained he was forced into the operation by unidentified mob figures who threatened they would “take care” of his family if he did not tend the plants to pay off his gambling debt.
At the time, Petrov said he was living in Canadensis, where he first began to grow the plants. He moved to Plymouth in early July and the mob figures moved the plants to the new address for him. He said he was again ordered to care for the plants, and told “if anything happens don’t mention us.”
Luzerne County District Attorney David Lupas said police would investigate Petrov’s mob allegations. “The investigation is definitely continuing and other agencies will be contracted.”
Lupas estimated the value of the marijuana at $20,000 to $25,000, but stressed that figure is a rough estimate because it has not been weighed. All evidence will be turned over to the state police crime lab for testing.
“This is a huge bust for Plymouth police,” Lupas said. “This stuff was headed for someone. The fact they were able to shut down this operation is significant.”
The sophistication of the growing operation shocked police, who had gone to the home after a neighbor noticed a back door was left open. The neighbor, Tom McTague, called out of concern for the home’s residents and did not know of the marijuana plants, said officer Ryan Williams, who discovered the plants with officer Anthony Gorey.
Williams said the three-story home was organized into a high-tech marijuana manufacturing facility with solar lights, humidifiers, timers, fans and a ductwork system that ensured the plants had optimal growing conditions.
Police seized 80 semi-mature plants roughly 3 feet high and 119 smaller plants a few inches high. Williams said the plants were located on one floor, which was outfitted with several high powered solar lights and a humidification system.
The second floor was used to dry the plants and the third floor for processing the finished product.
The initial discovery was made around 4 p.m. when no one was home, Williams said. He and Gorey then obtained a search warrant and, aided by officers from Larksville, Edwardsville and Courtdale, returned to the home around 8:40 p.m.
Gurinovich was found inside the home, processing the marijuana. Petrov was found in the basement, near the plants. Neither resisted arrest. The 12-year-old boy was in the home. He was taken into custody by Luzerne County Children and Youth, Williams said.
Williams said Petrov and Gurinovich did an excellent job of keeping the operation secret, noting police had received no complaints of suspicious activity from neighbors.
“I consider it to be alarming that people who look like average neighbors could be doing something like this,” he said.
Several neighbors interviewed Wednesday said they never suspected anything was amiss.
“We were actually happy because we thought someone was going to fix it up,” said Sharon Rondina, who operates a doctor’s office with her husband, James, next to the home.
Jackie Miller, a receptionist in the office, said she had tried to speak to Gurinovich several times, but the woman would wave her hands in the air and say she didn’t speak English.
Robert Yanelavage owns a barber shop across the street from the home, said he also did not suspect any illegal activity.
“I thought they were in there fixing the house up. I saw people moving around in there, but I didn’t think anything of it,” he said.
And this genius got the plants seized? He's in some deep trouble now.
Plymouth's finest. Forbidden plants. What a country!
Sure hope this doesn't interfere with the Kielbasi Festival...
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