Cops: Pot Grower Still At Large

MORGANTON, N.C.,None — It's been a week since deputies raided an indoor pot grow on Jonas Ridge and the man behind the operation is still on the lam.

The Burke County Narcotics Task Force seized 97 marijuana plants in a July 20 drug raid at 6809 Gingercake Road with help from Burke and Avery county deputies. Officers also confiscated a large amount of pot, heat lamps used to grow the illicit plants, a number of pipes and other suspected pieces of drug paraphernalia.

Authorities arrested Avery County realtor Allison Lynne Blythe, 32, at the scene on one count of manufacturing a schedule VI controlled substance.

The home's tenant gave lawmen the slip, however, and hasn't been seen since.

Blythe says she used to date the illicit grower, but was unsure of his name. She knows him as "Tom," but has heard him use several last names and did not know if any were real.

The two met in Alabama in 2000, according to Blythe, and he moved to Burke County to be near her.

Investigators are running down leads on the man's identity, but have yet to positively ID the suspect.

If you have any information on the man who lives at 6809 Gingercake Road, call the Burke County Sheriff's Office at 438-5500 or anonymously report your tip to Morganton-Burke Crime Stoppers 437-3333.

WSOC