Twenty-five pounds of marijuana was seized from a Clear Lake man during the execution of a search warrant at his home in Clear Lake on Tuesday, Dec. 18.
Officers from the North Central Iowa Narcotics Task Force, which included officers from the Clear Lake Police Department, Mason City Police Department, Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement executed a search warrant at 1006 S. 14th St. at approximately 2:45 p.m., acting on information that Jeffrey Ryan Smith, who resides at that address, had received a package containing a large amount of marijuana.
Inside the home, officers discovered a package containing approximately 14 pounds of marijuana. Officers discovered an additional 11 pounds of marijuana at different locations within the home.
Smith, 24, was arrested at the scene and transported to the Cerro Gordo County Jail. He is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a Class D felony with an enhancement for being within 1,000 feet of a school, which carries a mandatory five year sentence. He was also charged with failure to affix a drug tax stamp, a Class D felony, and a felon in possession of a firearm, a Class D felony.
Officers seized the 25-pounds of marijuana and assorted drug paraphernalia. They also seized an ATV and approximately $2,500 in cash.
“This is a significant seizure,” said Clear Lake Police Chief Greg Peterson. “The potential street value of this seizure, packaged and sold as one-quarter ounce baggies, is just under $100,000. All of the officers, who come from different law enforcement agencies under the umbrella of the Narcotics Task Force, have done a great job and I am proud of them. There are drugs here, just as there are in every town, but if you want to do business in Clear Lake, you’d better be prepared to pay the price, because we are looking for you, and eventually we’ll find you.”