McHenry County Sheriff Arrest 3 in Grow Operation

Two men and a woman were arrested in an indoor cannabis grow operation _ manufacturing high-grade cannabis with a street value of about $100,000 _ from an unincorporated Huntley home, McHenry County Sheriff Keith Nygren announced Tuesday.

The sheriff’s office’s Narcotics Unit and K-9 unit investigated a tip about a grow operation at 12509 Hensel Road McHenry County Undersheriff Andrew Zinke said.

A search of the home revealed 100 cannabis sativa plants, lights, ballast and other items used to manufacture high-grade cannabis, authorities said.

The operation had the potential to be big, but authorities were able to shut it down before production on the cannabis began, Zinke said.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Kristine M. Depew, 32, 12509 Hensel Road, unincorporated Huntley. Depew is charged with: unlawful manufacturing of cannabis (Class 2 felony), unlawful production of cannabis sativa plants (Class 2 felony), unlawful possession of cannabis (Class 3 felony), obstruction of justice destruction of evidence (Class 4 felony), unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia (Class A misdemeanor) and resisting a peace officer (Class A misdemeanor). Her bond is set at $30,000.

Danny W. Depew, 40, of the same address, is charged with: unlawful manufacturing of cannabis (Class 2 felony), unlawful production of cannabis sativa plants (Class 2 felony), unlawful possession of cannabis (Class 3 felony), obstruction of justice destruction of evidence (Class 4 felony), and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia (Class A misdemeanor.) His bond was set at $40,000.

A second man, Mike A. Mason, 39, 209 S Bartlett Road, Streamwood, is charged with obstruction of a peace officer, a Class 4 felony. His bond was set at $15,000.

The three have a court date of May 23.

The arrest and grow operation were not related to one uncovered in Woodstock May 5 where a 33-year-old man was arrested, Zinke said.

The two cases are not in indication that grow operations are a problem in McHenry County, he said. However, he said neighbors should be on the lookout for any suspicious incidents in their neighborhoods.

Two key indicators of a potential grow operation is if windows are boarded up and if there is mold on the outside of a home, a result of the high humidity used to grow the plants, he said.