VOORHEESVILLE — Two residents here were arrested after police discovered 28 marijuana plants growing in their backyard.

Matthew Flint and Daniel Bushey, both 33, and of 7 West Street in Voorheesville are charged with second-degree criminal possession of marijuana, a felony, and unlawful growing of cannabis without a license, says the Albany County Sheriff’s Department.

They were arrested on May 31, arraigned by New Scotland Judge Margaret Adkins, and then each was remanded to Albany County’s jail on $10,000 bail.
John Burke, the head Inspector for the Sheriff’s Department’s Drug Interdiction Unit, said this week, that the department received tips from neighbors about the growing plants and then police watched the two suspects for about a week, "following them around"to see where they were selling," he said.

Investigators came to the conclusion that they weren’t selling, but just growing the marijuana for personal use, Burke said.
The plants "weren’t high grade quality," Burke said.
Marijuana is planted in early spring and can grow eight to 12 feet tall, he said. At this Voorheesville residence, Flint and Bushey had plants of different sizes, Burke said, but collectively the 28 plants was "not really" that much, he said.

One fully grown plant produces one pound of smokeable drug, Burke said. The two men had 16 ounces of plant which could yield four or five pounds of drug, he said. Five pounds or more is the felony level, Burke said.
These guys "are pretty stupid," Burke said.
"You shouldn’t grow pot on your property," he said. "Well, you shouldn’t grow it all," he added, but, if someone is going to grow pot, he should not place it on his own property. He went on to concur that it makes it easy to pin the illegal activity.

People who grow pot professionally do so in the woods or on somebody else’s property but never on their own property, Burke said.

In this case, a concerned resident made a call to the police, and the plants were easily visible, Burke said. The sheriff’s drug tip line is 233-7599.

All of the marijuana was planted outside, and no additional plants were found inside the home, he said.

The men chose not to speak to police when they were arrested, Burke said.