Arrests made in Troy Township drug house raid

: : Sixth suspect remains at large

Mike Heine/The Week

(Published Aug. 21, 2007, 3:38 p.m.)

When police raided a vacant house in Troy Township last April they suspected the elaborate marijuana growing operation found there wasn't just one man's endeavor.

Last Tuesday, authorities from the North Cook County (Ill.) Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Agency arrested four men in Chicago and in Cook County for conspiracy to manufacture between 50 and 200 marijuana plants.

The arrests were the result of a five-month investigation that started with the search of the home at N8833 Pickeral Lake Road in northern Walworth County.

On April 4, the Walworth County Drug Unit recovered seven marijuana "root balls" and evidence of a "sophisticated" growing operation after serving search warrant, Sgt. Jeff Patek said earlier.

Other items recovered from the home included more than 50 buckets, hoses, heating lamps, fertilizers, potting trays and power cords, all evidence of a growing operation, Patek said.

Two days later, police arrested 32-year-old Raffie Harmanian of Murrieta, Calif., when he came to the rental home with a man from Chicago.

The two men had three pulleys in their possession that matched pulleys attached to the ceilings in one of the rooms where the marijuana was being grown, according to the criminal complaint.

Arrested Aug. 14 were John G. Olson, 65, of Chicago; Lambertus M. Hendricks, 41, of Chicago; Matthew J. Boyle, 26, of Chicago and Anthony J. Saporito, 25, of Chicago. Saporito was with Harmanian at the residence in April, according to the complaint.

An arrest warrant was also issued for Michael S. Hoseman, 37, of Elk Grove, Ill. He remains at large.

The home was rented to Olson in November 2006. He didn't pay rent in February, March or April, according to the complaint against Harmanian.

Police were led to Chicago based on other evidence recovered at the home that had their names on it, Patek said.

He said the operators of the drug house were cloning marijuana plants and possibly had up to 200 plants growing at one time. Patek suspects the operation started in November. He was unsure where the marijuana was being distributed.

"As for scale, in reference to what they had and how they were doing things, it was up there regarding the level of sophistication," Patek said. "You could have 50 plants, but if you're cloning and creating new ones, now you're taking 100 cuttings. Each plant produces six to eight ounces so you figure that'd be 50 pounds out of 100 plants of high-grade marijuana."

Patek could not say how the investigation started.

Harmanian faces charges of manufacturing marijuana, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The other four each face one felony count of manufacturing more between 2,500 and 10,000 grams of marijuana. He has a court hearing on Aug. 24.

Olson remains in custody on a $100,000 cash bond issued Monday. Saporito and Boyle had $1,000 bonds. Hendricks was given a signature bond. The four are scheduled for another court appearance on Aug. 28.