BAYTOWN- The office of Pct. 4 Constable Kenneth “Rowdy” Hayden shared a tip with the US Drug Enforcement Administration that led to the demise of an alleged $2 million illegal drug operation in a Baytown residence on Thursday morning.
Jerald Joseph Jackson, 48, was charged with third-degree felony possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and second-degree felony possession of marijuana.
Pct. 4 deputies, members of one of the DEA based High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) groups, and local Baytown law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jackson’s home, located at 105 Burnett in Baytown, in the predawn hours. Inside, they found what DEA officials called an “elaborate hydroponic marijuana lab” which took up multiple rooms in the home. Officers also confiscated 1 gram of methamphetamine.
Violet Szeleczky, spokesperson for the US Drug Enforcement Administration, said about 121 total plants were found inside the home, which would yield about $500,000 per quarter, or $2 million per year.
“We don’t see many hydro labs of this size, of this complexity,” Szeleczky said.
There was a “strong odor emanating from the house,” she said.
Szeleckzky said their investigation indicates marijuana was not only grown at the modest brick home in a quiet tract neighborhood, it was also sold to people who went right up to the front door without attracting much, if any, attention from neighbors.
The same neighbors could not have missed the swarm of law enforcement vehicles Thursday, with investigators removing evidence in large black plastic garbage bags, or the media attention that followed.
Jackson, a self-employed carpet layer with homes in Baytown and Houston, is no stranger to incarceration. Public Data shows he has multiple priors, including, possession of marijuana; driving while license invalid; burglary of a coin operated collection machine; burglary of a building; possession of a controlled substance; driving while license invalid or suspended w/ previous conviction or suspension.
Jackson remains in the Harris County Jail as of Saturday morning, with bond set at a total of $35,000.
Constable Hayden said his main focus on drug activity is that which his office is working to stop in Precinct 4, but his administration will gladly provide information and / or assistance to other agencies as well.
Precinct 4 issues a weekly report through area news media announcing their progress in fighting crime in East Montgomery County.
