Some of the more than 100 mature marijuana plants allegedly found inside a North Coventry home March 24 after police and other law enforcement agencies executed a search warrant.
NORTH COVENTRY — Three Cuban nationals were charged with running a marijuana growing operation out of a township home, Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan said Tuesday.
After executing a search warrant at a township home on March 24, township police, Chester County Detectives, State Police and other law enforcement agencies allegedly found more than 100 mature marijuana plants.
The three charged are: William Delgado, 46, last known address Miami, Florida; Yordanky Hevia-Martinez, , last known address m Hialeah, Florida; Berto Quinones, 41, last known address in Pottstown, Pennsylvania — said to also be the resident of the home where the search was conducted.
“This was a sophisticated grow operation,” Hogan said. “The defendants, with ties to Cuba and Florida, clearly are part of an organized criminal network. It was their bad luck to try an operation like this in Chester County.”
Investigators allegedly found items used to grow and harvest marijuana, including lighting, fertilizer, fans, and other material. The defendants had reportedly bypassed the electrical meter at the residence to gain access to the electricity they needed to run the grow operation.
An unusual find: a marmoset monkey was discovered in the house. The monkey was turned over to a local zoo for safekeeping.
“This case is another example of inter–agency cooperation between North Coventry Township Police Department, DEA, Pennsylvania State Police, and the Chester County District Attorney’s Office,” North Coventry Police Chief Bob Schurr said. “Through this cooperative working relationship, we were able to rid our community of a substantial amount of marijuana that would have potentially been distributed throughout the region. This ongoing relationship shows the dedication that all law enforcement has to rid our communities of illicit drugs.“
The police seized all of the drugs, grow materials, and a vehicle the three were found in when the warrant was served. The Pennsylvania State Police Clandestine Lab team dismantled the operation. The defendants were arrested and remanded to Chester County Prison. All three are charged with felony drug trafficking offenses.
As all three defendants are Cuban nationals, the United States Department of Homeland Security – Immigration and Customs Enforcement were notified of the arrests.
