Sentencing has been adjourned for a Rocky Mountain House man who tried to earn some extra cash from an illegal farming venture.
Daniel Richard Dejong, 34, pleaded guilty in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench on June 3 to cultivating marijuana plants in an outbuilding on his property, located southwest of town.
Court heard that Dejong was arrested on Feb. 8, 2012, by a team of investigators from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, which includes the RCMP Green Team, Calgary ALERT, Calgary RCMP drug section and Calgary Police Service.
Investigators reported that they found 959 plants in various stages of growth. Crown prosecutor Dave Inglis told the court it would be difficult to place an accurate value on the crop, but police had estimated the street value at roughly $1.2 million.
Defence counsel Will Willms, in entering a plea for his client, said he takes no issue with the facts.
However, Willms asked for a pre-sentence report to be submitted to the court before sentence is pronounced.
Dejong had been set for trial last week, but changed his plea to guilty on the charge of cultivating marijuana. A second charge was withdrawn as a result of the guilty plea.
Sentencing has been set for Nov. 4 in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench.