Ganja Burn: Police Find Marijuana Growing Operation In Iowa Mayor's Basement

Source: Doug Menuez / Getty

Jamaica, Iowa Mayor LaDonna Kennedy and her husband Randy Kennedy were arrested on Wednesday after police found 18 marijuana plants and nine weed packages in the couple’s basement.

KCCI News reports:

Authorities made the discovery after they received a tip that Rodney Halterman, who was wanted on an arrest warrant for attempted murder in Story County, was hiding in a home owned by Mayor Kennedy and her husband. While looking for Halterman in Jamaica, deputies called for a search warrant because they smelled an “overwhelming odor of raw marijuana” coming from the house. After a search warrant was issued, law enforcement authorities found 18 marijuana plants, nine packages of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Each package was estimated to contain 4-5 ounces of marijuana.

Come to find out, Halterman wasn’t even hiding in the home. However, Greene County sheriff’s deputies found him soon after, and arrested him. The Kennedys’ were have been charged with manufacture with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and two counts of failure to affix a drug stamp.

They’ve since been released and are waiting for their court date..