A Lacey’s Spring man is in jail today after he apparently tried to grow marijuana in a bedroom of his house.

Phillip Stapler

Phillip Stapler of 25 Hickory Hills Lane was arrested and charged with unlawful manufacturing a controlled substance and unlawful possession of marijuana first degree. He is being held at the Morgan County Jail on $7,500 bond.

After responding to a call that a man wanted to kill himself on Sept. 11, Morgan County Sheriff’s deputies located a marijuana growing operation inside of the suspect’s residence.

The Morgan County Drug Task Force responded to the scene and discovered that a rear bedroom was used a nursery for marijuana plants. A ventilation system and high-energy lights were found in the bedroom.

Most of the plants, however, were dead. More than 40 plastic containers had marijuana stalks and dried leaves. If the plants had lived, they would have produced a large amount of marijuana.

Prior to being arrested, Stapler was checked out by medics on the scene. The suspect said he didn’t want to go to the hospital and that he was fine.