Onalaska Couple Accused of Illegal Marijuana Operation to Change Pleas

An Onalaska couple who had previously pleaded not guilty to charges connected to a large marijuana growing operation in a February hearing in Lewis County Superior Court have been scheduled for a change of plea hearing for April 15.

Prosecutors charged James and LaVeta Arnold with manufacturing marijuana in a school zone, possessing marijuana with the intent to deliver in a school zone and money laundering.

No further information on the change of plea was immediately available Thursday afternoon. The Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office is staying mum on the details, and the Arnolds declined to comment outside the Lewis County Law and Justice Center Thursday afternoon.

The Centralia Anti-Crime Team and Lewis County Sheriff’s Office raided a home in the 200 block of Griel Road in Onalaska Feb. 5, finding and seizing about 614 marijuana plants and more than 40 pounds of processed and packaged marijuana with a value of between $2,000 and $2,200 per pound.

Court documents state the Arnolds admitted to growing marijuana for more than 15 years for personal medical use, but later allegedly told officers they had been selling it for an annual profit of about $136,000.

Officers also seized multiple other items at the home, including 33 firearms and 30 taxidermized animal heads. Personal records, bank information, personal property, growing equipment and more were also seized at their property.

Law enforcement officials arranged to continue conversations about the investigation and allow the Arnolds to live at their home. However, the Arnolds failed to continue talks with authorities and officers learned the couple were warning others about law enforcement being involved, according to court documents.

The couple was also allegedly making plans to flee, according to authorities. After authorities got another search warrant, the couple was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail on Feb. 10.