Published: August 14, 2006 11:01 pm         

Prosecutors to seize alleged marijuana growers’ property

LEWISBURG — The Greenbrier County Prosecutor’s office filed petitions for forfeiture for the bank accounts and property of a Greenbrier County couple charged last week with cultivation of marijuana and possession with intent to deliver.

James Robert Webb, 75, and his wife Sheila Mae Webb, 44, both of Quinwood, were arrested earlier this month after State Police seized 468 marijuana plants and nearly 400 grams of pre-bagged marijuana from their home. The street value of the pot is worth an estimated $940,000. Police found the marijuana during routine eradication flyovers using a West Virginia National Guard helicopter.

Prosecutor Kevin Hanson requested any and all currency held in checking accounts, savings accounts and all deposits in three banks held by either of Webbs be forfeited. Banking accounts in the Summit Community Bank, City National Bank and National Bank of Summersville were targeted.

Although State Police Sgt. J.L. Cahill declined comment on the amount of cash being seized, the criminal complaint filed against the Webbs said “bank statements from various local banks with rather large balances” were seized during the raid.

“It’s a distinct possibility that something will be forfeited,” Cahill said Monday.

Also being targeted for forfeiture are 29.6 acres of land located near Quinwood in an area known as “Squat and Dodge” owned by the Webbs, along with three ATVs, a Massey-Ferguson backhoe, cattle, horses, numerous pistols and rifles and an expensive home entertainment system,” according to the court documents.

A moonshine still was also confiscated during the raid, but did not appear in Hanson’s petition.

“Based on information obtained by the West Virginia State Police, James R. Webb and Sheila M. Webb were moving large quantities of marijuana out of the State of West Virginia,” Hanson said in the petition. “... obviously (the items seized) could not have been purchased from the legal income of James R. Webb and Sheila M. Webb.

“(The investigation) revealed photographs dating back as far as 1992 depicting Sheila M. Webb ‘posing’ with large quantities of marijuana plants.”

Mrs. Webb told authorities during the raid that she and her husband received SSI checks for approximately $900 per month and that her husband was a retired coal miner. She also claimed that some of the pot was given away as Christmas and birthday presents because they were on a limited income.

The Greenbrier County Drug and Violent Task Force, State Police and prosecutor’s office are responsible for the search and seizure. The petitions were filed as civil actions arising from a criminal act. If the forfeiture is successful, 90 percent of the cash seized goes to the investigating agencies and 10 percent goes to the prosecutor’s office.

The Webbs were released from the Southern Regional Jail Aug. 3 after each posted a bond of $50,000. No hearings have been set in the matter.

If convicted of all charges, both are facing up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $50,000, or both.

— E-mail:

cgiggenbach@register-herald.com