2,334 Marijuana Plants Seized In Paulding, Haralson

Officials with the Tallapoosa Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Paulding County Sheriff’s Office and the Haralson-Paulding Drug Task Force said Friday that they discovered a major indoor marijuana grow operation that resulted in the arrests of three people.

Over 2,000 marijuana plants were seized in the bust at four locations in Haralson and Paulding counties.

Officials said they executed a search warrant at a commercial building on Golf Course Road in Haralson County. Once inside the warehouse, officers and agents discovered the remains of a major indoor grow operation, police said. Agents seized several ounces of marijuana, along with other items used in the production of hydroponic marijuana.

SLIDESHOW: Marijuana Plants Seized

Police said the indoor grow operation utilized eight 500-gallon water containers, which cycled water to various rooms where marijuana was being grown. The entire operation was done hydroponically with no soil being involved, agents said.

During the execution of the search warrant on Golf Course Road, officials also conducted surveillance on a home on Lake Tanisha Drive in Dallas, Ga. Police arrested Loreen Marie Hobdy, 37, as she left the home. Agents also arrested Judd Alexander Hobdy, 34, and Richard Carl Fata, 41, when they left the house.

Officials said they found 10 pounds of hydroponic marijuana in the suspects’ truck.

A search warrant was executed on the home on Lake Tanisha Drive and 10 pounds of marijuana and nine plants were seized, police said.

Information found at the Lake Tanisha Drive house led officials to execute a search warrant at a home on Maggie’s Point in Dallas, Ga. Police said the home was also equipped as a hydroponic grow operation.

At the home on Maggie’s Point, which was located in a subdivision but had no furniture, officers seized 20 pounds of marijuana and 385 marijuana plants.

Agents then executed another search warrant at a home in Temple and seized another 1,940 marijuana plants.

Judd Hobdy, Loreen Hobdy and Richard Fata were all charged with trafficking marijuana and other drug charges.

A warrant was issued for Jason Henry Pimentel, 31, who agents believe fled to Florida.

Law enforcement believes that the marijuana produced in the operation was being shipped to south Florida for resale.

If anyone has additional information concerning the activities of the Hobdys, Fata and Pimentel, or if anyone has other additional drug information, they are encouraged to call the Haralson-Paulding Drug Task Force at 770-646-9175.