Monticello — Three Wayne County men have been arrested on suspicion of growing

marijuana in Iowa County, Iowa. According to a story published on the

Marengo Publishing Corporation's website, which operates newspapers in

several Iowa counties including Iowa County, Eugene Burnett, 56, and Kelly

Burnett, 25, were arrested Monday, June 23, following an anonymous tip from

a concerned resident in Williamsburg, Iowa.

Iowa County Sheriff Nick Roggentien said that at approximately 10:48

p.m. on June 23 his department received a tip of suspicious activity in a

rural area. The activity included several trips past a residence during the

day. The caller provided a vehicle description and license plate numbers.

The vehicle was stopped by a deputy near the Marengo exit on Interstate 80.

According to the article, the driver of the vehicle fled into a field.

Officials said inside the vehicle were hundreds of marijuana plants. Kelly

Burnett was arrested at the scene and deputies continued to search for the

driver.

Eugene Burnett was located at 12:15 a.m., according to officials.

Upon further investigation, the article notes that deputies discovered a

second vehicle with a Kentucky license plate and an attached U-Haul trailer

at the Super 8 Motel in Little Amana. Deputies also reported locating

hundreds of marijuana plants, as well as gardening supplies and other gear

in a cornfield approximately four miles east of Williamsburg.

Both vehicles were impounded. Eugene Burnett's bond was set at $9,750

and Kelly Burnett's bond was set at $10,750. The two were bonded out on

Wednesday, June 25.

David Criswell, 46, was taken into custody shortly after the Burnetts

were bonded out. Deputies said that the U-Haul trailer was rented in

Criswell's name and he was a registered guest at the motel, along with the

Burnetts.

Bond was posted for Criswell on Friday, June 27.

A total of 971 marijuana plants were recovered from the operation,

according to the article. Sheriff Roggentien stated that during the

investigation notebooks were discovered detailing directions to other

possible fields. The National Guard was flying over rural areas in Iowa

County and Poweshiek County to search for other possible growing areas.

Roggentien also said he suspected this case is related to a marijuana

discovery two years ago in the same area. He said that deputies found about

1,000 marijuana plants in a cornfield near Williamsburg in October 2006. No

perpetrators were caught at the time.