LIVINGSTON, Texas (EAST TEXAS NEWS) — Sheriff Byron Lyons’s office has reported the discovery of a large marijuana grow operation on the outskirts of Livingston.
On Tuesday, May 5, the sheriff’s narcotics division, along with state criminal investigators, responded to repeated complaints from residents in an area along U.S. 59 just outside Livingston regarding the persistent odor of marijuana, as well as the frequent arrival of vans and box trucks early in the morning at a specific site.
Investigators found a large indoor marijuana operation, according to the sheriff’s office. They spoke with Elier Jiménez, 55, a Cuban national who lived at the residence on the property. The sheriff’s office executed a search warrant on the property. They say they located a large number of marijuana plants, more than 1,500, spread across several buildings on the property. Jiménez was arrested and charged with possession of between 50 and 2,000 pounds of marijuana, a second-degree felony in Texas.
Sheriff Lyons stated that although public opinion about marijuana may vary, it remains illegal in Texas and has been linked to several serious crimes in Polk County. He added that when illegal activity begins to affect nearby neighborhoods, the issue goes beyond mere marijuana possession.
