Marijuana farm shut down.

PORTER – Members of the Precinct 4 Constable’s Office discovered and dismantled a large hydroponic marijuana operation and arrested two people Saturday night at a home in the 22000 block of Woodmoss Court off Cumberland Blvd., south of FM 1314.

Roger Sanchez Klein, 40 and Elizabeth Lucia Vallatos, 34, were arrested and charged with 3rd degree felony possession of marijuana, greater than 5 pounds but less than 20 pounds.

“Acting on a tip, Cpl. Art Looza and Deputy Eric Mchugh went to the residence where they discovered Miss Vallatos had an outstanding warrant for an unrelated violation,” Precinct 4 Constable Kenneth “Rowdy” Hayden stated in a media release. “Mr. Klein stated he had some marijuana upstairs. The officers were given consent to search the residence and found two second-story rooms used to grow, harvest and dry marijuana.”

Deputies Beau Boudreaux and Josh Bergland, investigator Buck Clendennen, Lt. Mark Seals and Hayden assisted in the investigation. From the adjoining rooms, officers removed 114 marijuana plants of various sizes, along with mason jars filled with cut and dried marijuana, grow lamps, water pipes, scales, cigarette papers and other items.

“The smell of marijuana was almost overwhelming inside the two rooms but was confined, thanks to an elaborate filtration system in the attic, which was also dismantled and removed,” Hayden said, adding he was proud of his night-shift deputies for taking the initiative and discovering the illegal operation.

“Our officers continue to prove that the war on drugs must be fought not only on the freeways but in our neighborhoods, in the areas where our children play and go to school,” he said. “One by one, we will find and arrest those responsible for illegal drug activity and the crimes that go along with that in East Montgomery County.”