Two of the three people charged in October as part of a marijuana growing operation in Kelly accepted plea agreements Tuesday in Bladen County Superior Court.
Daniel Giraldo plead guilty to misdemeanor possession of 1/2 ounce up to 1 1/2 ounces of marijuana. He was sentenced to 18 months supervised probation, ordered to submit to a drug test if required by probation officer, and pay his part of $600 restitution for lab work. A charge of manufacturing marijuana was dismissed.
Ciara Gutierrez plead guilty to maintain a vehicle, dwelling or place for a controlled substance. She was sentenced to 18 months supervised probation, ordered to forfeit six guns that were on the property and to pay her part of $600 lab work. A charge of manufacturing marijuana was dismissed.
The third person charged, Sebastian Zea, has not been sentenced, according to court officials.
In court statements Tuesday and information released previously from the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office, members of the Narcotics Unit went to a mobile home on the 4000 block of N.C. 11 in Kelly on Oct. 6, 2015. When someone answered the front door, officers could smell a strong odor of marijuana. The officers then noticed smoke coming from the backyard, which was marijuana being burned.
Gutierrez consented to a search of her home. Officers seized 13.6 pounds of marijuana along with six firearms and all equipment used for an indoor marijuana-growing operation.
Gutierrez no longer lives in Bladen County. Giraldo was visiting at the time of the arrests and did not live in Bladen County.
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