GRAND RAPIDS -- Longtime Press sports columnist David Mayo, accused of growing marijuana in his Northeast Side home, was targeted for investigation after police tracked shipping invoices of a company that advertises in "High Times" magazine, court records showed.
Armed with that information, police sought utility bills, which showed Mayo's electric use was more than twice that of his neighbors.
Police also put his home under surveillance and determined he did not bring his trash to the curb, which is common among marijuana growers, police said.
Investigators in early January also noted a "large amount of mold" under the eaves on the outside of his house, which suggested to them strong grow lights were being used inside the residence, heating the room where marijuana was being grown, and causing condensation on the exterior.
The allegations were contained in search-warrant affidavits made public this week.
Sheriff's Lt. Kevin Kelley confirmed police based the investigation on items shipped by companies that advertised in "High Times" and other pro-marijuana publications.
Courtesy PhotoEvidence: Authorities found Mason jars filled with marijuana buds inside David Mayo's house on Fuller Avenue NE in Plainfideld Township.
Mayo bought, "on 11 occasions, hydroponic growing equipment that is specialized in indoor marijuana growing," according to sheriff's Detective Sgt. Todd Butler, who said local authorities received information from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program, a project of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
"Operation Green Thumb has access to shipping invoices from suppliers who advertise their indoor marijuana-growing equipment in magazines such as 'High Times.' David Mayo bought his hydroponic equipment from one of the suppliers that do, in fact, advertise in this (manner)."
Mayo's lawyer, Bruce Block, could not be reached for comment, but earlier said he was reviewing police information to determine whether he should challenge the reason officers had probable cause to enter Mayo's Fuller Avenue NE house Jan. 19.
Mayo is suspended from The Press pending the legal outcome. He awaits trial on charges of growing from 20 to 200 plants, which carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, and a high-court misdemeanor charge of maintaining a drug house. Prosecutors have offered to reduce charges to a four-year felony if he pleads guilty.
Police say 71 marijuana plants and 32 ounces of packaged marijuana were found in the home.
Mayo's wife, Denise, awaits trial on charges of marijuana possession and maintaining a drug house.
Both are free on personal recognizance bonds.

WTF is going when cops have nothing better to do than track sales of grow euipment from a mag? This is an outrage.

its sickening to me,

Terrorist/ pedophiles/ there was 2 gang shootings herelast week , 1of the gangs burnt down a museum,

My parents house got broke into while they were at church, stole all my dads guns/moms jewerly and some other stuff.

cops said they wasnt gonna run the prints because of all the ''other important'' stuff going on at the moment.
it would of had to been a murder for them to even run the prints,

i hate cops

Its wild to see where their priorities lie. I would say breaking in someones house and stealing guns, that will probably get put into the streets and used in a crime, would be top priority. What do I no.

Sorry to hear about your parents

Thanks man, and yea i agree with you,

soon as i would of tooken action into my own hands,
Better believe they would of had time tofind & arrest me tho

Good read tho man
take it easy

Cops are such TOOLS in todays Society. stupid people who couldn't to do anything with their life, so they decided to sell themselves out to the Governement to enforce its bull**** laws that were inacted because of corrupt special interest groups that have nothing better to do but worry about what everyone else is doing. They could at least do something usefull like take out all the meth labs that are ruining peoples lives. Sorry, just blowing off some steam. I HATE COPS and their toolish ways.

Not everything cops do is bad, they`re around to protect us. Now maybe the cops act a bit differently in Colorado than where I`m from but this is just my point of view. Of course there are cases like this where they spend too much time and tax payers money busting something that should be legalised. But in general, take it a little easier on them man, they`re not all crooks.

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That's Is Looking For Something Pretty Bad, That Is Low!!!

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I personally have never had a good experience w/cops....I grew up in a city where it was us vs. them.(in city housing) I was already hated just because of my last name.

I would say a huge waste of resources as well. This is what tax payers pay for. Cops to go looking thru magazines to find someone in there area growing. I can think of a hundred other things those cops could have spent that time and energy on.

I would like all officials to wake up and go after the real criminals the list is sooooooooooooooo long.
These people are Herbaphobics what they really need to do is try it and they will never look backThis is how there attitude would change

Every last one is a crook! Ive never met a good cop man,

THERE NOT HERE TO HELP, THEY DO WHAT THEY DO FOR A EASY JOB/A PAYCHECK

When 5 oclock comes, they care less about what happins to you and your family, I Mean Cop's wife/immediate family get stars on the back of there cars, so other cops wont give them a ticket,

WTF kinda **** is that!?!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

All cops are arrogant,shiesty,kuniving,swine!

3 months ago where i live at, the local squad's MOST AHCIEVED/ADVANCED police officer in the tri-county, who's wife was a school teacher,
Got caught Dipping 2 8 Ball's out of the evidence room , to put back on the street,
they went to his moms house,
Found over 180 weapons that went 'missing' from the station,
Found every pill u can imagine, weed,coc,crack,meth in his moms house (stash house)

Thats just one of many i can tell u about that has just happined in THIS area,

How bout the cop who was Burning rubber, because he was drunk as hell behind the wheel,
Did he get fired? better yet, did he get a dui? did he get arrested? Did his license get suspended??

Nope how bout they just Put him on lay off WITH pay for a month, and he's out driving around like it never happined,!

I Cant even type no more im losing my high im gettin so mad

Man I hear ya Controversial... We had a similar situation where a cop crashed his cruiser drunk, left the scene on foot(to throw away the evidence) and called his off duty police buddy to help him. He didn't get a dui, suspended, was not charged with leaving the scene of an accident, nothing happened to this man. Now you no if it was one of us......

Exactly.. I used to live in this "hood" that when it got dark outside, the cops left.

yea thats for sure. They where never there to protect and serve me or my family and friends. Instead they try shaking you down blackmail ya

You can't seize property from a burglary but a drug bust is a different story. Follow the money! Thugs with a badge!

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I Hate Cops!

Have you ever been protected by a cop? Has anyone ever been protected by a cop? I'd just bet you'd be hard pressed to find anyone that has... you know why?.... cause they don't. They protect themselves and no one else.

This is just a joke but it is funny cause it is so true.

There was an old man and his wife at home. They heard someone snooping outside in their yard. The old man calls 911 and tells the dispatch about the problem. Dispatch informs the man that she is sorry but there are no available officers at the moment but she will send someone out there as soon as one comes available. The old man thinks about this a few seconds and dials 911 again and tells dispatch, "Never mind sending anyone out, I took care of it myself. I shot the burglar dead." and then hung up the phone. Within 2 minutes there were six cop cars and nearly a dozen officers on his front lawn. The officer in command upon discovering the old man did not really shoot anyone inquired, "I thought you said you killed a man." The old man responded, "and I thought dispatch said there weren't any available officers."

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I Hate Cops!

A good cop! I know it sound like an oxymoron, but, I did meet one. Many years ago, when I had just been released from active duty, with DoD-214 in hand and a brand new driver's license. I had been drinking in a bar, about 20 miles from home. On the way home, I was pulled over. The cop had me walk the centerline. Couldn't do it. I was smashed. I could tell he was going to bust me, big time. I pleaded with him, telling him I had just gotten a license, after 4 years without one. This was really going to screw things up for me.

He said, "I'll follow you to the curve." (just a mile or so, up the road). "If you drive ok, I'll turn around, and forget about it."

I closed one eye, (too many centerlines), and when I got to the curve, he turned around. I never heard another word about the incident.

But, this took place outside of a town with a population of about 800. I don't think I'd have been so lucky in a city.

Pappy

you think? -- wow.. that's insane luckiness

Thats a great story,and its typical of how these cops operate.

But that was back in the good old days Pappy, nowadays it is rather odd to stumble up on one with common sense...

...on the other, why didn't you take just a nape back then?

Good for you that he let you go back then. But isn't the issue that todays cops use up their time to snoop threw High Times to bust citizens rather then to go after burglars, rapists and killers that make life unsafe.
Todays problem is that they bust us, the citizens, on every mistake we make yet at the same time don't enforce the law against criminal members of this gang. And sure, their might be the odd one left that behaves in proper manner but that doesn't cures the fact that the majority is rotten to the bone - and these we face on daily bases. And this is what pisses me off: that i have to fear those more that are supposed to serve & protect me then the official criminals out there!

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Keep the gun oiled and the thumb green!