Maps lead police to buried jars of marijuana

Williamsburg Police did not initially find any marijuana when they served a search warrant Friday morning at the property on West Ky. 92 belonging to Ronald Allen and Debbie Lee. However, inside the RV in which the couple was living, officers found a number of maps Chief Wayne Bird said marked the places where Allen had buried the marijuana he had been selling.

"We have been looking at this guy for about six weeks," Bird said of Allen. "There has been a large volume of traffic in and out."

Bird said aerial surveillance did not find anything, so officers sent in a confidential informant who purchased four ounces of marijuana from Allen. Based on that, officers secured a search warrant for the property.

Using the maps and with the help of the Williamsburg Fire Department, police began searched the property for the marijuana, finding one stash with a peanut butter jar full and two other stashes containing packaging. However, officers failed to find any live plants

"At each of the stashes we found, Allen had dug a hole and buried the items before placing a rock on top to mark the spot," Bird explained.

The search was called off just after 11 a.m. when a timber rattlesnake was found and killed in the area.
Bird said it was not worth the risk to the officers and firefighters as police had enough evidence to charge Allen and Lee.
Allen, 56, was charged with trafficking in marijuana over 8 ounces but less than five pounds and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Lee, 47, was charged with trafficking in a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both were lodged in the Whitley County Detention Center.

While officers may not have found all of the drugs, Bird said the U.S. Forest Service Marijuana Eradication Team has been advised of the location and will keep it under aerial surveillance. Should the team find plants on the property, it could lead to federal charges.