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Pocono Pot: A Family Affair?

MOUNT POCONO — A man is facing charges he ran a marijuana grow operation from his family’s home in Mount Pocono. Police say Paul Ward, 26, of Mount Pocono...

MOUNT POCONO -- A man is facing charges he ran a marijuana grow operation from his family’s home in Mount Pocono.

Police say Paul Ward, 26, of Mount Pocono, was running the pot operation and using heroin at 128 Knob Road in Mount Pocono.

"I'm surprised about that because this is a very quiet area," said Connie Quintero, a neighbor.

Police say they got information about the drugs in the home and last week, they went into the place where Ward lives with his sister, his mother and 6-year-old nephew.

According to court papers, investigators found an active marijuana grow operation inside with equipment, fertilizer, lights, cloning methods, 18 mature plants, and 18 younger plants.

They say they also found heroin paraphernalia and two weapons belonging to Paul Ward.

"We just don't need it in this neighborhood. It's been a quiet neighborhood but all of a sudden these tenants came in and he has a problem,” said Alice Makla of Mount Pocono.

Makla's family owns the home Paul Ward and his family rent and live in. She was shocked by the charges but says she believes Ward has a serious problem. She says he's been stealing from her.

"He was taking money at night while I slept. He would come to the house, open the window, and go in,” she said.

Police say Ward admitted the drugs were his, telling them he had the marijuana grow operation for years. He told investigators he learned about it and took it over from his father after he passed away several years ago.

"Fine, how stupid. Should have buried it with his father,” said Makla.

Ward was jailed in Monroe County on $100,000 cash bail.

As for the house police say he used for his grow operation, the owners say the Ward family will move out and the house will be torn down.

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