https://blogs.lotterypost.com/truesee/2010/1/police-leave-ransom-note-for-pot-suspects-cal.htm truesee's Blog: Police leave ransom note for pot-- suspects call en-us Lottery Post RSS Generator https://blogs.lotterypost.com/truesee/2010/1/police-leave-ransom-note-for-pot-suspects-cal.htm#c44454 https://blogs.lotterypost.com/truesee/2010/1/police-leave-ransom-note-for-pot-suspects-cal.htm#c44454 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 01:59:51 GMT truecritic It was a good ploy on the part of the detectives. They should use that more often.

]]> truecritic https://blogs.lotterypost.com/truesee/2010/1/police-leave-ransom-note-for-pot-suspects-cal.htm https://blogs.lotterypost.com/truesee/2010/1/police-leave-ransom-note-for-pot-suspects-cal.htm Tue, 05 Jan 2010 22:20:03 GMT truesee Tuesday, 01.05.10

Florida Keys cops leave ransom note for pot, nab suspected grower

Steven Locascio, 48, and his wife, Christine Locascio, 50, were both charged with cultivation of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and sale of marijuana.

CAMMY CLARK

Miami Herald

MARATHON -- After a citizen's tip led undercover detectives to six large marijuana plants growing in a vacant wooded lot in the Florida Keys, the detectives half jokingly left a ransom note.

``Thanks for the grow! You want them back? Call for the price (305) 481-4494. We'll talk.''

The detectives never expected the grower of the illegal drugs to call. But 10 minutes later, he did.

``He's got to win one of America's dumbest criminal awards,'' said Col. Rick Ramsay of the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.

Steven Locascio, 48, negotiated to get his six-foot-tall pot plants back for $200, saying he couldn't believe he had to pay to get his own marijuana back.

``He probably put a lot of sweat and hard work and energy into growing the plants,'' Ramsay said. ``The plants were worth about $1,000 each. So he probably thought it was a good deal to get them back for only $200.''

The undercover detectives loaded the six plants in the back of a pickup truck and drove to the corner of Coco Plum Drive and Avenue H in Marathon. After Locasio handed over the cash, he was arrested.

A search warrant was issued for his nearby apartment, where detectives found 20 smaller marijuana plants, four pounds of freshly harvested marijuana in a freezer and several 80-milligram Oxycontin pills. Detectives also seized $1,380 in cash.

Locascio and his wife, Christine Locascio, 50, were both charged with cultivation of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and sale of marijuana.

``If he didn't show up, there would have been no way to prove who grew the plants,'' Ramsay said. ``The detectives left the note as a last ditch effort, thinking he would never call. But sometimes people do stupid things.''

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