Sheriff’s Office Uncovers Huge Marijuana Grow House in Elburn
A 36-year-old Grayslake man faces charges of manufacture and intent to deliver more than 5,000 grams of marijuana after a Kane County Sheriff’s Office investigation uncovered a giant-economy-sized, indoor pot-growing operation in Elburn.
According to a Kane County Sheriff’s Office news release, the grow operation was located at a warehouse on West Nebraska Street in Elburn.
At around noon Tuesday (March 6, 2018), a Sheriff’s Office deputy who was monitoring the warehouse for suspicious activity made contact with a male subject who was leaving the property. The man was identified Maskin Gokhman, 36, of Grayslake, and authorities took him into custody after discovering two warrants for his arrest.
With the assistance of a Sheriff’s Office K9, the deputy found about one-half pound of suspected cannabis inside Gokhman’s vehicle.
The Sheriff’s Office and Elburn Police Department obtained and executed a search warrant at the warehouse at 250 West Nebraska St. in Elburn.
Inside the building, Special Investigations Unit detectives located an indoor cannabis grow operation with about 200 cannabis plants at various stages of growth.
Detectives also located about 68 pounds of harvested cannabis, with an estimated street value of $150,000.
The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office authorized the following charges against Gokhman:
- Manufacture or delivery of more than 5,000 grams of cannabis, a Class X felony.
- Possession of more the 5,000 grams of cannabis, a Class 1 felony.
- Production or possession of more than 200 cannabis plants, a Class 1 felony.
- Manufacture or delivery of more than 30 but less than 500 grams of cannabis, a Class 3 felony.
- Possession of more than 100 grams but not more than 500 grams, a Class 4 felony.
- Warrant — DUI out of McHenry County.
- Warrant —Violation of an Order of Protection out of Lake County.
The charges against Gokhman are not proof of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the State’s burden to prove his or her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
- FEATURE PHOTO CAPTION: Part of the indoor grow operation. (CREDIT: Kane County Sheriff’s Office)
SOURCE: Kane County Sheriff’s Office news release