Two Palestine residents were arrested Friday after authorities say they were growing marijuana plants in their back yard.

Michael Harvey Sheppard, 46, and Pamela Lee Turnbull, 64, both of Palestine, were arrested around noon Friday at a Palestine residence on North Tennessee Street after authorities say they found a total of four marijuana plants at the location, according to Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor.

As of late Friday afternoon, Sheppard and Turnbull remained in the Anderson County Jail on the state jail felony charge of possession of marijuana between 4 ounces and 5 pounds, according to the sheriff.

Around mid-day Friday, Taylor said officers Gary Wilbanks and Dan Mogan of the Anderson County Drug Investigation Unit, along with a Texas Department of Public Safety officer, executed “a controlled substance search warrant” at a residence in the 800 block of North Tennessee Street.

“They had three plants that were growing off the back porch in the flower bed and one that was drying, hanging over a door inside the house,” Taylor said. “All of these plants were fairly tall, waist high or taller.”

Small amounts of marijuana were also found in a container in the residence’s kitchen and a Crowne Royal bag discovered in a bedroom chest of drawers, according to Taylor.

Total weight of the marijuana was slightly more than 4 ounces, according to the sheriff.

A 43-year-old neighbor and a young boy also at the residence were released at the scene, Taylor added.

The sheriff said Sheppard and Turnbull are believed to be boyfriend and girlfriend.

Paul Stone may be contacted via e-mail at pstone@palestineherald.com

 

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