Drug Agents Bust Rosemount Pot-Growing Operation

A Rosemount man is facing felony drug-distribution charges after authorities say they confiscated almost a pound of marijuana in what they are calling a grow operation in his home.

Daniel William Wain, 36, who lives in the 3400 block of 144th Street West, is charged with two felony counts of fifth degree drug manufacturing and one petty misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

The two felony counts carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine; the maximum penalty for the petty misdemeanor is a $300 fine.

According to the criminal complaint against Wain, officers from the Rosemount Police Department and the Dakota County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at Wain’s home on April 28.

Agents smelled a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside Wain’s home, and the windows on the back of the house were covered in condensation, both of which indicated a marijuana growing operation inside, the complaint says.

Agents knocked and announced themselves several times, but when they got no response, they forced the door open, finding Wain and a relative inside, the complaint says.

During their search, agents found “miscellaneous drug paraphernalia” in the living room, along with a “green leafy substance” in a third-stage grow room in the basement and suspected marijuana plants in the basement laundry room, according to the complaint.

Authorities also found six suspected marijuana plants, a blower fan, a timer, a grow light and two electronic ballasts in the third-stage grow room and an electronic ballast, a grow light, five suspected marijuana plants and six suspected “starter” marijuana plants in the laundry room, the complaint says.

According to the complaint, Wain admitted to agents that he was solely responsible for growing marijuana in his home. He also told authorities that the marijuana was for his personal use and that he regularly smokes it, the complaint says.

Tests on the plants confirmed that it was marijuana totaling 418 grams, or almost 15 ounces, according to the complaint.

Jeremiah Simonson, an agent with the Dakota County Drug Task Force, declined to comment on the case, saying agents customarily don’t comment on “under-the-radar” cases like Wain’s.