Crime & Safety

Two Middle River Men Charged With Growing Marijuana in VA

Matthew Meissinger and Harold Morris III were charged after police found "pounds" of marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms on a museum property.

Virginia State Police have arrested two Middle River men on charges of manufacturing marijuna, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.

The newspaper reported Thursday that Matthew Meissinger, 25, and Harold Morris III, 24, were arrested after marijuana plants were found on property owned by the Frontier Culture Museum in Augusta County, near Staunton.

Both men were charged with manufacturing marijiuana, with further charges pending.

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A state trooper told the Times-Dispatch that an investigator described the bust—which totaled "pounds" of marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms found in a nearby trailer—as the largest seen in 10 years. An affadavit obtained by the Times-Dispatch said fertilzer, fencing, stakes, watering buckets, syringes, smoking devices and mason jars were confiscated at the scene. Meissinger and Morris worked for a contractor in the area, police told the Times-Dispatch.

The museum's executive director told the paper that three officers found the plants while on a bowhunting trip.

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A spokesperson for Virginia State Police has not yet returned a call from Patch seeking comment.


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