BERLIN — Two local men were indicted by a Worcester County grand jury this week on marijuana possession, distribution and manufacturing charges after a vast, sophisticated pot-growing operation was discovered.
Last Tuesday, local law enforcement agencies, including the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team, with the assistance of the Ocean City Police Department Narcotics Unit, executed search and seizure warrants at various locations throughout Worcester County following an investigation into a suspected marijuana growing operation. The search warrants yielded multiple seizures of evidentiary value including a sophisticated marijuana growing operation at a location north of Berlin on Deer Park Road.
At that site, local law enforcement discovered and seized a sophisticated marijuana growing operation including a state-of-the-art irrigation and lighting system. Nearly 100 marijuana plants were seized during the execution of the search warrant on Deer Park Road along with the associated equipment and the building itself.
The seizure included a recently-constructed 30-foot by 60-foot pole barn, or agricultural shed. Inside that shed was a “marijuana growing operation utilizing technologically-advanced agricultural techniques designed to maximize the amount of marijuana produced at that location,” a statement from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office reads. “Due to the vast amount of mature plants recovered, along with the complex nature of the grow facility, the entire facility was seized and secured.”
On Monday, the Worcester County State’s Attorney’s Office empaneled a grand jury to review the evidence and testimony collected during the execution of the search and seizure warrants last week. As a result, the grand jury indicted two local men including Michael Cori Cluster, 33, of Berlin, and John Harrison, 30, also of Berlin, on various charges including possession of marijuana in amount of 10 grams or more, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, unlawfully manufacturing marijuana, and finally, “keeping and maintaining a public nuisance, to wit a pole barn for the illegal manufacture, distribution, dispensing, storage and concealment of a controlled dangerous substance,” according to court documents.
Cluster was located and served with an arrest warrant early this week and was formally charged with the above counts. Cluster was held initially without bond. However, during a bond review hearing on Wednesday, Cluster’s bond was set at $50,000 and he was released after posting $5,000, or the required 10 percent. Harrison was located Thursday and faces the same charges.
The possession of 10 grams or more is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. The other three counts are felonies and carry penalties of up to five years in jail and/or a $15,000 fine.
