(Stillwater, Okla.) — A 58-year-old Cushing woman has pleaded guilty to cultivating marijuana plants that were hidden by bamboo trees on the east side of her house on W. 9th Street.
Beverley Pintus remains free on a personal recognizance bond pending her May 23 sentencing before District Judge Phillip Corley, who ordered a background report after accepting her plea Friday.
Pintus has a plea bargain with the prosecution to receive a five-year deferred sentence, 10 days in jail, a $500 fine, $350 in assessments, random drug testing and a 50-hour community service requirement, court records show.
According to an affidavit, “On June 24, 2013, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics agents, Drug Enforcement Administration agents and local county sheriff’s deputies were conducting a marijuana mission in Payne County.
“During an aerial fly-by, spotters in the helicopter identified what appeared to be marijuana plants on the property of Beverley and Ruggero Pintus located at 4600 W. 9th Street, Cushing, Oklahoma.
“Upon our arrival, Agent-in-Charge Larry Carter and I made contact with Ruggero Pintus,” OBN agent T.N. Briscoe wrote in an affidavit.
“We explained to him our spotters had located plants that appeared to resemble marijuana and asked for his permission to search the premises. He stated we were allowed to search the area.
“Upon further inspection of the suspected plants, they were identified as being a plant other than marijuana.
“But continued search in the area revealed 12 marijuana plants hidden by bamboo trees on the east side of the house,” the affidavit said.
“The plants were enclosed by wire and each individual plant was planted in its own pot,” the affidavit said.
“Upon the discovery of the plants, R. Pintus was questioned. He stated he took care of the animals and his wife took care of the plants. He also stated he had phoned her and she was on her way home,” the affidavit said.
When Beverley Pintus arrived, the OBN agent asked to search the couple’s house, to which they gave consent after a brief discussion, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, after the couple’s home and surrounding structures were searched, law enforcement authorities discovered:
* a red tin canister containing cigarette papers,
* a pipe with a green substance,
* a bullet grinder with a green leafy substance,
* an Altoids can with a green leafy substance,
* a silver platter containing a green leafy substance wrapped in cigarette paper and some loose green leafy substance,
* a Kerr jar containing a green leafy substance.
No charges were filed against Ruggero Pintus, court records show.
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