CLEARFIELD – A couple has been accused of growing marijuana at a Morrisdale residence.
Austin Michael Mullan, 25, of Smithmill has been charged by the Pennsylvania State Police with felony manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver and misdemeanor counts of intentional possession of a controlled substance, use/possession of drug paraphernalia and corruption of minors.
Jollene Marie Boyer-Rabenstein, 38, of Morrisdale has also been charged with felony conspiracy/manufacture, delivery or possession with intent to manufacture or deliver and misdemeanor counts of intentional possession of a controlled substance, use/possession of drug paraphernalia and corruption of minors.
Mullan and Rabenstein are scheduled to appear for preliminary hearings at 11 a.m. Sept. 12 at the Clearfield County Jail. Bail has been set at $50,000 unsecured for Mullan and $15,000 monetary for Rabenstein.
The charges stem from a drug investigation that occurred in August in the 300 block of Church Road, according to the affidavit of probable cause.
On Aug. 2, a witness told investigators she owned the residence and rented it out to Mullan and Rabenstein.
She said on July 28, she was there to advise the couple that she needed to inspect the home for insurance purposes.
While in the backyard, she reportedly observed several marijuana plants that were three- to four-feet tall. These were planted in pots on the couple’s back deck.
She said a child appeared to be pruning the plants, and she also observed several smaller plants growing in red solo cups on a window sill inside the home.
The witness took pictures of the marijuana plants, which she observed again on the back deck on Aug. 1 when she returned to perform maintenance work.
The investigating trooper observed the witness’ pictures and traveled to the couple’s residence the next day in his undercover vehicle.
He observed one marijuana plant on the back deck that was three- to four-feet tall. On Aug. 3, he obtained a search warrant and executed it with members of the Troop C crime and vice units.
Troopers located Mullan and Rabenstein inside the home, along with her four children.
A search allegedly yielded three live marijuana plants growing in pots on the back deck. These plants were NIK tested and showed positive for the presence of marijuana.
Four starter marijuana “clones” were planted in small cups on the window sill in the kitchen and numerous items of drug paraphernalia were located within the residence, state police said.
In addition, scattered marijuana leaves and a small amount of processed marijuana were found, according to the affidavit.
When the investigating trooper advised Rabenstein of the search warrant, she blurted out that she planned on getting her medical marijuana card.
The evidence was transported to the Clearfield-based state police barracks, where a trooper NIK tested the marijuana. It showed a positive result for the drug.
