At least 11 homes raided in St. Johns, Clay grow-house busts

About 600 marijuana plants were seized in Clay and St. Johns counties as part of a drug task force raid this week to cut down on grow houses.

In Clay the Sheriff’s Office said authorities found 228 plants in four homes prompting the arrest of five people: James P. Powers, Tony R. Hines, Joseph Gallant and Robert and Dawn Gunning.

The locations were the 1700 block of Colonial Drive, Green Cove Springs; 6300 block of Island Forest Drive, Orange Park; 1800 block of Mackenzie Court, Middleburg; and 1700 block of Sherwood Drive, Middleburg.

In St. Johns authorities found 429 plants, about a pound of processed marijuana and 11 firearms in seven homes, the Sheriff’s Office said. Two people were arrested — James Gupton and James Steele — and several arrest warrants were pending.

The locations were the 8200 block of Riverview Drive, 11800 block of County Road 13, 800 block of White Eagle Circle, 6300 block of Salado Road, 100 block of Juper Road, 40 block of Palmetto Road and 5800 block of County Road 208.

The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect in a Wednesday standoff in the County Road 208 raid as Lawrence Sacks. The 50-year-old sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and is at Shands Jacksonville.

Scott Butler