Three charged in pot bust
Toolbox
By PATRICK McARDLE STAFF WRITER - Published: November 19, 2009
BENNINGTON – Three residents of a home in the West Road Mobile Home Park are facing felony charges of cultivation of marijuana after police said they found 11 marijuana plants during a search of the home in October.
Richard M. Campilongo, 22, of Bennington, was arraigned in Bennington District Court on Tuesday on a felony charge of cultivation of marijuana.
Richard L. Bump, 21, and Brittany E. Hover, 19, both of Bennington, were each arraigned on a felony charge of cultivation of marijuana and a misdemeanor charge of possession of less than 2.5 grams of cocaine.
The three, who share a home in the park, pleaded not guilty.
In an affidavit, Bennington County Sheriff's Deputy Joel Howard said he had obtained a search warrant on Oct. 8 based on information he had gathered.
Howard said, after a meeting with Bennington police officers, he had gotten more information and police obtained a second search warrant.
The warrant was executed on Oct. 8 around 8:20 p.m.
Howard said Bump and Hover were taken into protective custody shortly after police entered the home.
While searching the bedroom that Bump and Hover said was theirs, police found three flower pots with marijuana growing inside, according to the affidavit. Police also found a glass pipe with marijuana inside and a plastic bag with cocaine inside, Howard said.
The first bedroom, which Campilongo later identified as his, had five marijuana plants growing in flower pots, another marijuana plant beginning to grow inside a milk jug and a plastic container holding 64 marijuana seeds, according to the affidavit.
Howard said police found glass pipes commonly used for smoking marijuana in the kitchen and family room.
On a kitchen counter, police found two red plastic cups that each held a marijuana plant, the affidavit said.
Bump and Hover were arrested and placed in a police cruiser to be taken to the Bennington County Sheriff's office. Howard said that Campilongo arrived at the home just around that time.
According to Howard, Campilongo said he lived at the home and that the bedroom where the five marijuana plants were found was his.
Campilongo, Bump and Hover were all released without bail. If convicted, Campilongo could be sentenced to up to three years in prison. Bump and Hover could be sentenced to up to four years in prison if convicted of both charges against them.
patrick.mcardle@rutlandherald.com
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