A man and woman were arrested on Thursday after police found $385,000 worth of marijuana plants and products in their Larimer County rental home.
Lacy Ann Patterson, 23, and Anthony Michael Ryker, 25, were arrested in Livermore at there rental home in the 1700 block of County Road 82E, according to a news release from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office.
Livermore is about 20 miles northwest of Fort Collins.
During a search of the home, officers found about 220 live marijuana plants, numerous bags of packaged marijuana, drug smoking paraphernalia, hallucinogenic mushrooms, numerous guns and equipment used to cultivate marijuana.
The two were arrested on suspicion of possession of more than 12 ounces of marijuana, possession of more than 100 pounds of marijuana with the intent to distribute, growing marijuana, possession of a controlled substance, criminal mischief and a weapons charge.
All counts are felonies.
Prior to the arrests, officers received a tip about suspicious activity in the area.
After investigating, they found a fenced area covered in plastic. The tops of what appeared to be plastic greenhouses could be seen and officers could smell raw marijuana coming from the property, police said.
Patterson and Ryker initially denied growing the marijuana, and later claimed it was medical marijuana.
Officers later searched the home, after obtaining a warrant.
Police say the couple lived in the rental home for less than a year, and the rental home was severely damaged when the two modified the basement to grow the marijuana.
