Opinion ID: 659953
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Discovery of the growing operation

Text: 2 In December 1991, appellants Edward and Dean, Edward's wife Christina, Dean's two adolescent brothers named Chad and Paul, and four small children moved from the state of Maine to Lyndon, Kansas. Lyndon is a small town with a population of approximately 900. The family attracted some attention in the community because it appeared to have plenty of money even though no family member seemed to have a job. The family attracted further attention because of a February 1992 conversation between Edward and Lyndon Police Chief Ryan Patrick Smith, during which Edward expressed unusual interest in the procedures of the Lyndon Police Department. Chief Smith became suspicious and decided to contact other law enforcement authorities. As a result, Chief Smith learned that a county drug enforcement unit was interested in a suspect who fit Edward's physical description. This led to several investigations of the Fitzherberts' trash, which produced evidence of drug-related activities and provided sufficient basis to obtain a search warrant. 3 In early May 1992, a search of the Fitzherbert residence was jointly executed by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the local county sheriff's department and the Lyndon police. This search yielded approximately 190 marijuana plants growing indoors, marijuana seeds in various stages of germination, a variety of marijuana-related paraphernalia and several firearms. The search also uncovered several photographs of the defendants in the presence of marijuana and a videotape taken in the Fitzherberts' prior residence in Maine. The videotape documented a substantial indoor marijuana growing operation at that residence.