Police: Search for ax-wielding man uncovers pot growing operation

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A search for an ax allegedly wielded by Poplar Bluff man in a Monday assault resulted in officers not only finding the ax, but a suspected indoor marijuana grow operation.

At about 11:30 a.m., the Butler County Sheriff's Department received a call indicating there was a subject, later identified as Joseph Herschel Perigan, with an ax creating a disturbance at the apartments on South Westwood Boulevard, near the former Motor Harbor restaurant, said Deputy Mike Tinker.

The victims/reporting parties "claimed not to know (Perigan)," but indicated he "pulled up, got out, yelling at people and swinging (an ax) at people," Tinker said.

When Cpl. Brandon Lowe first arrived, Tinker said, the suspect already had left, but the victims/reporting parties had obtained a license plate number for the suspect's vehicle.

"Myself, Cpl. Lowe and Investigator (Wes) Popp went to the suspect's residence to try to make contact," Tinker said.

Lowe, according to Tinker, went to the front door of the residence, located in the 700 block of County Road 534.

"(Lowe) advised me someone was running through the house; I went to the back door and caught the suspect trying to run out," Tinker said.

After identifying himself, Perigan, 43, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault, Tinker said.

Officers, he said, knew someone else was inside the mobile home because Lowe had seen a female look out a window before Perigan allegedly began running.

The woman, identified as Robin Moore, came outside and was "not truthful to us," Tinker said. The 54-year-old subsequently was arrested on suspicion of manufacturing of marijuana.

At that point, Popp applied for a search warrant, which officers began executing at about 4 p.m.

"We went to obtain the weapon," which is why officers got the search warrant, Tinker said. "We didn't know anything about what else was inside."

During the execution of the search warrant, Sheriff Mark Dobbs said, officers found what "looks to be a year-round indoor grow operation … split between the shop building and a bedroom of the actual residence.

"Both were fully equipped with artificial lighting."

Inside the home, Dobbs said, officers found 35 suspected marijuana plants in the early stages of development.

Tinker said they ranged in height from a couple of inches to about 3 to 4 feet tall.

Six additional plants -- four 6 feet in height and two 2 feet tall -- were found in the shop, said Popp.

The officers said each of the suspected plants were in individual pots.

"We had beginning stages, middle stages and cultivated marijuana, which had been processed" and packaged for distribution, Dobbs said.

According to Popp, nine 1-gallon Ziplock bags were found in the refrigerator freezer, with additional nine gallon bags found in the deep freeze.

About nine of the gallon bags, Popp said, contained individual bags inside "ready for distribution."

Throughout the house, Popp said, officers found what he described as small remnants of marijuana in sandwich bags, as well as Mason jars found underneath the couch.

Evidence, such as suspected marijuana pipes and water bongs, also was found inside the home, indicating use, Popp said.

Four prescription medication bottles, as well as four 35mm film canisters, were found in the outbuilding containing suspected marijuana seeds, Popp said.

"It's safe to say we had two truckloads of growing equipment (such as lights), fertilizer, potting soil and various other horticulture growing related items," Dobbs said.

Among the items seized were 16, 5-gallon buckets; 44 plastic pots; bundles of grow stakes; and 32 bags of potting soil, 23 of which weighed 50 pounds, according to Popp. The ax also reportedly was recovered.

"This morning we scoured the wood line of the property," said Dobbs. "We didn't find any actual growing marijuana, but we found the remnants of where it had been grown and harvested."

Given the volume of fertilizer and potting soil, Popp said, it was obvious "(Perigan) had been doing this for some time."

Dobbs agreed.

"It looks like he was pretty well versed … with the lighting and the pretty specific items related to horticulture," Dobbs said.

Perigan and Moore remained in the Butler County jail Tuesday pending the filing of formal charges.

Officers reportedly will be requesting charges of manufacture of marijuana, possession with intent to sell and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Pertinent address:

Poplar Bluff, MO