James Borders recently reported his 27-foot “box style” trailer stolen when, in fact, it was in the hands of the Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, along with a number of items related to the growing and consumption of marijuana found inside the trailer as the result of a search warrant.
The incident landing the 59-yearly Borders in trouble began June 1st when a landowner in the Clarkridge area reported one of his employees had found what was believed to be marijuana plants growing on his property.
An investigator from the sheriff’s office went to the property and was shown three separate areas, approximately 100 yards apart, where marijuana plants were found growing both in the ground and in pots.
Other investigators were called to the scene. The area was photographed, and the plants in the pots and those pulled from the ground were loaded onto a vehicle to be taken to the sheriff’s office. In all, investigators reported finding more than 100 plants.
They also located the enclosed trailer in the area. They reported seeing six black pots with marijuana plants, gardening tools, potting soil, garden hoses and other items in plain view next to the trailer.
The trailer was also taken to the sheriff’s office, a search warrant obtained and the interior of the trailer entered. Investigators reported finding a personal notebook with data on the growth of the marijuana plants, along with smoking devices, rolling paper, cannabis oils and packaged marijuana.
Borders’ initial call to the sheriff’s office to report the suspected theft of his trailer was made June 2nd and was returned by an investigator the same day. It was during the call Borders was told the trailer — along with the marijuana plants and other items — had been seized by the sheriff’s office as part of the investigation into the marijuana grow operation. Borders is reported to have been silent for a moment after getting the news before saying, “You got me.”
Borders said he first noticed the missing trailer after returning from a trip to Kansas where he had gone to retrieve personal property.
During a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday, Borders waived arraignment and entered a not guilty plea to the charges against him through his attorney, Mark Cooper. The attorney reported to the court Borders was not present, since he was in Kansas where he is reported to live. He was ordered to reappear in circuit court August 2nd.
Borders is currently free on a $5,000 bond.
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