Franksville man charged after 70 pot plants found in home

RACINE -- Racine police have charged a Franksville man with one count of manufacturing THC (second offense), possession with intent to deliver THC (second offense) and maintaining a drug trafficking place (second offense). Officials say 50-year-old John Allen Olmstead had 70 pot plants at a residence in the 2700 block of Roberts Street in Mount Pleasant.

After obtaining a search warrant, officials removed the plants from the residence, and the criminal complaint in the case says Olmstead admitted to growing the marijuana, and indicated everything found in the home was his. The complaint says Olmstead told investigators he sold the marijuana to a few friends, but primarily grows it to smoke himself.

The criminal complaint says investigators found 70 plants in the house -- which is attached to a body shop/mechanics bay. The complaint says the plants ranged in size from several feet tall, to small seedlings. Investigators say there were also bags of marijuana located that appeared to have been drying. The complaint says located in the basement near the plants was a variety of sources of light, numerous flower pots full of potting soil, different types of plant fertilizers and plant food, and a venting system.

The complaint states investigators also found numerous pipes of different variations in different rooms of the house, as well as packaging and a digital scale.

Olmstead was taken to the Racine County Jail without incident and held on cash bond.